The Good Life
by Colt And Katana
Summary: Herds of walkers have detoured the group while on their way to D.C. After suffering heavy losses, and with Judith sick, Rick and the gang look for a place to stay. They come upon Nick, a man dying from sickness and exposure after breaking his leg. He leads them to his safe haven where they discover that they can not only survive, nestled between the mountains of West Virginia...
1. Chapter 1

Merry Christmas, Kelly!

_**...**_

_**They needed to stop. Judith was sick. **_

Rick Grimes feared very little anymore, but the idea of his little girl getting sick, with no doctor to take her to and no way to treat her, scared him more than anything. He listened to the frighteningly deep rattle in her chest and wondered if she'd manage to take her next breath. If she died…

"We'll hole up here," Rick said, looking at the storefront of an abandoned mattress store. "You guys clear it. I'm going to go on a run, see if I can find some medicine for Judy."

"I'll come with you," Michonne said. Her tone brooked no argument. She wasn't going to take no for an answer so he nodded.

She was pulling her sword from the scabbard and placing it back. She did that every few minutes to make sure the cold, damp weather didn't make the blade stick. They'd gone far off track because of herds of walkers and now, rather than being in Roanoke Virginia, as they'd planned, they were somewhere in northeast West Virginia.

Late December had come in cold. While it had yet to snow the weather was wet, just barely above freezing, and windy. Rick hunkered into his coat and walked up to a pharmacy that had been looted fairly well. Still, he searched what remained, along with Michonne.

"I found some Tylenol," Michonne said. "Liquid. We could mix it with something and give her a little. Dosage will be tricky."

Rick nodded. That was all they could find. "It'll help with the fever but I'm worried she's got bronchitis. She needs antibiotics."

"There's nothing left," Michonne said, sensing his worry. She put a hand on his arm. "I'm scared too."

He nodded and looked down at the Tylenol. He wanted to throw it away in anger. It was too little. His baby needed medical care. She needed a warm, dry environment. He could give her neither. He tucked the bottle of medicine into his pocket and they returned to the mattress store where the others waited.

…

_**There was a new face waiting**_ when Rick and Michonne returned. Carl had Judith in his lap and there was a man sitting on the floor by the entrance. He, too, sounded as though he was on his last legs. His eyes were on Judy. He looked wistful and sad at the same time.

"This man says he had a group in a stronghold," Abraham told Rick, sounding like a soldier reporting to his CO. "He says he can take us there. He's the last left."

"What happened to you?"

"Broke my leg. Been here for three days…sick…"

"You bit? Scratched?" asked Rick.

He shook his head. "Pneumonia. I ain't got long left and I need to show you…you'll be safe there. Medicine. Food…"

He passed out for a moment. Rick saw how pale Judith was, sleeping in her brother's arms, her lungs rattling as thickly as the dying man on the floor. Normally Rick would be wary of trusting so-called safe havens, especially after their ordeal with Terminus, but Judith needed someplace safe and warm or she'd die. He had to risk it.

"Let's go."

…

_**The group loaded the man into**_ the back of one of the trucks. Rick rode with him, hunched down behind the cab to keep as much of the cold air off him as possible. It was a twenty minute ride into a wooded area before the man told Daryl where to pull over. It was at a gate with a bunch of leaves and vines covering it. Had they not had someone to show them they wouldn't have noticed it at all.

Once through the gate it was another ten minute ride on a bumpy dirt road before they came to a wall that had been constructed with concrete, roughly finished, and a metal gate covered with planks of wood for reinforcement. He gave Michonne the keys through the little windows at the back of the truck cab. She hopped out and unlocked the padlock there before attempting to swing half the gate open. It was too heavy, the hinges freezing in the cold. Rick jumped out to help her.

He didn't bother to check out the property until the gate was shut and locked from the inside. The other cars had pulled up into a gravel parking area in front of a large house. There was a barn to the left, as well as a chicken coop, and a massive shed to the right. A huge truck with a massive propane tank had been backed into what looked like a man-made cave in the side of a steep hill.

In fact, the whole property was surrounded by mountains. There was farmland that could yield a lot of food in good weather. There was a creek of black water, frozen along the edges, running past the back of the property. Another wall was built over the creek, closing the place in between the two mountains the property was nestled between.

"They can't climb," he said.

"Who?"

"The rotters. They can't climb. They get a few feet up the side of a mountain and tumble back. It's safe here."

They helped him inside the house, which had been made of stone, and Rick was disappointed that it was as cold inside as out.

"Turn on the heat. The thermostat is on the wall. It's best to set it to 72 degrees. Anything higher it gets too hot and uses too much energy."

Daryl saw it by the entrance to the living room. He set it to 72, as the man suggested, and immediately they heard the heating system kick in.

"Take me to the shed. Don't want everybody breathing my air. It'll be a good place to die."

"We can treat you. You may live," Rick said, and nodded to Daryl for help. They each put an arm over their shoulders and started out to the shed. Rick took in the back of the house. It had a play area for kids, complete with a swing set and a jungle gym. There was earth moving equipment in the back of the property, sitting cold and quiet like yellow sentries in the gathering darkness of early evening.

In the shed the man began a coughing fit that made Daryl and Rick both cover their faces with their shirts. He waved at them to back out and remain in the fresh air.

"How many lived here?" asked Daryl.

"Twenty of us at first. A few of us died on runs in the early days, when we were building the walls and tilling the land and gathering resources. This was my best friend Mike's house. He was one of those doomsday preppers. Good thing, too. He's got a 30,000 gallon underground propane tank. We topped it off not a week ago before…"

"What? If this place has a weakness I need to know," Rick insisted.

"No weaknesses we found. All the people who knew about this place are dead now. It ain't likely strangers will find you here if you keep the gate hidden. One of us took his own life. Poisoned himself, the damn fool, and didn't even warn anybody he'd done nothin'. He came back and attacked the house. Killed a few of us in the night. They turned and killed a few more... My wife Katy, and her brother Donnie, we survived and we fought back but they were bitten. I went looking for my father who was on a run and found he'd been attacked, died, turned. I had to put him down…"

He began to weep and cough. He looked pathetic and Rick pitied him.

"What's your name?" asked Daryl.

"Nick Turley. Listen, the compound is set up. We got lots of resources. Well water that's good an pure and animals and…you'll figure the place out. Don't worry. You'll be fine here for a long time to come if you want it. Just do me a favor? Don't let me turn."

Rick nodded, thinking Nick wanted him to put him down after he died. Instead, he handed Rick the pistol strapped to his boot.

"I ain't got the courage to do it myself."

"You got medicine? We can treat you," Rick said. "We can-"

"Look in the library. We've got all kinds of meds to treat that little girl. Don't waste them on me. You don't get it…"

"Rick," he said, when he realized the man was waiting for him to supply his name. "This is Daryl."

"Rick. You don't get it. I don't _want _to be treated. I just want it over. Burn me after. I don't need no burial. Just give me that, will ya?"

There was once a time Rick wouldn't have had it within him to grant such a request. He no longer had any qualms about it. He nodded and took the gun from Nick.

"You're sure about this?"

Nick nodded. "Outside."

He weakly pulled himself up and with Daryl's help he gave one last look around the property. Daryl looked disturbed when Nick balanced himself on his good leg and nodded to Rick. He was ready.

Rick leveled the gun point blank at Nick's forehead. "We'll take good care of the place. We'll respect it."

Nick nodded again, appreciative. Rick pulled the trigger.

…

_**Rick helped Daryl wrap Nick's body**_. Rick said he'd help burn him later. He just wanted to get inside and find the medicines Nick had spoken of.

"I'll take of this. You go see about Asskicker."

Rick nodded a thank you to Daryl and hurried inside. The house was wonderfully warm. He saw that everyone had congregated in the kitchen except Carl, Michonne, and Judith.

"Where are they?"

"Michonne found some meds in the library," Rosita said. "She's reading up on how to dose medicines."

"Where?"

"Second door on the left after the living room."

He hurried that way and found a cozy room with books lining three of the walls. Carl sat on a chair while Michonne mashed up a pill with the flat side of a butter knife. She had a cup of water handy and was reading from a book. She scooped the pill in and looked up at Rick.

"You found an antibiotic?"

She nodded. "I just hope she isn't allergic. I'm sure I've got the dose right. One dropper full."

Rick blanched at that. This was Judith's first time being really sick. The idea that the antibiotic could be poison to her scared him. They had to try, though. If she didn't get medicine soon she would die.

"We don't have a choice. Let's try."

Michonne took the dropper to Judith and squirted it into the back of her throat, leaving her no choice but to swallow. Judith cried, not from the taste but from the choking sensation and from having Carl press his hand over her nose and mouth to stop her from vomiting it back up. When she settled she reached for Michonne, her nose running and her little face pinched up in misery.

"She's still hot. Even with the Tylenol," Carl said worriedly.

"We just gotta give it time," Rick soothed. "She'll be okay. We're warm and dry and we have medicine. She'll be okay."

He sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince Carl. He hoped he was right. He hoped she'd be okay.

An hour passed with Rick and Michonne watching Judith for any signs of a reaction to the medicine. She was red in the face but that was due to the fever, no doubt. Her chest rattled. She coughed, but she wasn't in distress from an allergic reaction. He began to relax and asked for Michonne to pass her over. Every time she tried, though, Judith would open her eyes and wail.

"Mama…" she said, and coughed, wrapping her arms around Michonne's neck.

Michonne and Rick's eyes met then. They didn't speak. They didn't know what to say at first. Then Rick rubbed a hand over his heavily bearded face.

"That bother you?"

Michonne shook her head. "No."

Rick nodded, and noticed the smell of cooking food in the air.

"That smells like beef," he said.

Michonne breathed deep and smiled. "God, I forgot what that smelled like. We've been living off rabbits and squirrels and deer for so long."

Daryl and Carl came in an hour later with trays laden with food. There was also a bottle for Judith.

"Whoever lived here had a little boy about Judith's age," Carl said. "They had formula and jars of baby food, too. Not a lot. Maybe a month's supply."

Michonne eyed the pot roast on the plate Daryl passed her. She wasn't going to be able to finish it. There was simply too much there. She wasn't accustomed to large servings.

"My God, this is good," Rick said, taking a bite of the roast.

"Abraham cooked," said Carl. "He's good in the kitchen."

"Damn straight," Abraham himself said, entering with another tray. This one had fat slices of chocolate cake with creamy vanilla icing.

"I'm tempted to skip to dessert," Carl said, smiling, but he kept casting glances at his baby sister.

"You had a chance to look the place over?" Rick asked after dinner had been eaten and he was starting on his cake. Darkness had fallen and the rain had stopped.

Abe nodded. "Lots of room here. Lot's of food and supplies, too. We have hot and cold running water. What looks like the master bedroom has a crib in it. Figured since you're group leader and you have the little one here, you should take that one. Everybody has rooms claimed but Michonne will have to sleep down here on the first floor if she doesn't mind."

"Carl, Judy and I can-"

"I picked the downstairs room for myself," Carl said.

"Where will Michonne sleep?" asked Rick.

"Can't she bunk with you?"

"Carl!"

Carl rolled his eyes. "The master bedroom has a half bed in it. She can sleep in there and help care for Judy. Please, Dad, Michonne? I really want my own space. I'm too old to bunk with my dad."

Rick shifted in his seat, eating cake, trying to ignore the smirks on Daryl and Abraham's faces as they drank from the bottles of Coke they'd had with dinner.

"I'm okay with it," Michonne said, cradling Judith. The poor girl had her fists in Michonne's hair, as though afraid someone would take her away from the woman she'd clearly claimed as her mother. "Judy needs me close. At least until she's well. Then I can find somewhere else to bunk."

He couldn't find a good reason to balk other than his own qualms about sharing a bedroom with a woman for the first time in a couple of years.

"Okay."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Around ten o'clock most of them**_ were ready to call it a night. Only Maggie, Glenn, and Carl elected to stay up to watch a movie in a room that was stacked with video games and DVDs and a huge seventy-inch TV. Rick checked on him, saw they were watching Terminator 2, and left them to it, heading up to the master bedroom he now shared with Michonne. She was giving Judith her second dose of medicine.

"This will hold her through the night. Her fever has broken," she said.

"I'll watch her," he said. "You mentioned wanting to take a hot shower."

"Do I ever," she said, and had to pry Judith's hands out of her hair. The little girl wailed, even with her daddy holding her. He made himself busy while Michonne disappeared into the bathroom.

When the water hit Michonne's skin she moaned out loud. A hot shower was something she'd never expected to enjoy again. The steam smelled of the soap she used to lather up to wash, literally, weeks of grime and gore from her skin and hair.

Out in the bedroom Rick tried to get Judith to drink some water but she fought him on it. It was only her own thirst that finally overcame her desire to cry for Michonne that shut her up long enough to guzzle a full bottle. As soon as she was finished she went right back to crying. He was trying to soothe her when he heard the moan as the water hit Michonne's skin.

It was a sound he'd never heard her make outside of the fantasies he indulged in with increasing frequency. He tried to ignore the twitch in his dick and he refused to allow himself to go to the bathroom door on some thin pretext of checking on her while really in the hopes of getting a glimpse of her naked.

Twenty minutes later the water shut off and Michonne emerged, wrapped in a towel. Water slicked her skin and she looked mildly embarrassed.

"Sorry. I forgot to take a change of clothes. You want to go in now? The water is nice and hot."

"Yeah. I would. You can…um…change. I guess there's some clean clothes in the dresser."

She nodded and he all but ran for the bathroom, hoping he didn't get an erection at the sight of her dripping wet and wearing nothing but a powder blue towel. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, getting his bearings before he was enticed into the shower to test it out for himself.

Michonne had been right. The water was nice and hot and he nearly moaned himself as the spray enveloped him with enough pressure to feel like fifty fingers massaging muscles he hadn't even realized were bunched up and tense. The showers at the prison had been pump operated and weak. Not to mention cold. This was like heaven, standing in the steamy water, lathering up, rinsing, just feeling the warmth over his body.

Not for the first time he wondered if he was dreaming all of this. Perhaps he was really lying somewhere on the side of a road or in an abandoned barn, dying of hypothermia, and this was his dream.

…

_**When Rick emerged, having only a **_towel around his waist because he, too, had forgotten clothes, he saw Michonne standing by the window. Judith had finally fallen asleep on the four-poster Queen-size bed that took up most of the wall opposite the bathroom. Another small twin bed was shoved into the corner.

The clothes she'd found were clearly made for a very tiny woman. The sweat shorts were tight and rode high on Michonne's powerful thighs. The tee-shirt was positively indecent, hugging her firm breasts. It was easy to see she wasn't wearing a bra. She'd probably found a few and they were all much too small if these clothes were anything to judge by.

"Something wrong? You see something?" Rick asked, tearing his eyes away from Michonne's legs.

"Yeah. Look."

He put his face to the window to block out the light in the room and quickly found himself smiling. "Snow," he said. "It's really coming down. The ground's already covered."

"Isn't it beautiful?" she said quietly.

"Very."

She realized he was standing beside her in only a towel and allowed her eyes to flicker over him.

"I'll take the small bed."

"No no. Judy will want to sleep with you instead of the crib. You take the big bed. I insist."

She nodded. "If you insist. I'll keep my eyes closed."

"What?"

"While you change."

"Oh! Right," he said, smiling sheepishly. "I'll find something and…change…"

"Right."

She turned away, looking as awkward as he felt, and climbed onto the bed with Judith where she began to lotion her long legs. He found some jeans that were his size and tee-shirt and headed over to the small bed to change. He had a hard time concentrating. Especially when Michonne bent over to rub at the back of her thighs.

_Jesus_, he thought, watching her. He was just glad when she was done and he was fully dressed and could get under the covers.

"We may have to burn our old clothes," she said, looking back at him. "They'll never wash clean."

He laughed at that. "No doubt…Goodnight, Michonne. Thanks for being here for Judy. It means a lot."

"No problem, Rick. Goodnight. Sweet dreams."

"You too."

He flicked the light off and settled onto the small bed and stared out the window. He couldn't see the snow now. It was too dark. He thought of how happy Carl was going to be when he woke up to the snow cover in the morning. Hell, he'd be happy too.

…

_**Just as Rick expected he awoke**_ the next morning to Carl shaking him enthusiastically.

"Dad, you gotta see it!"

"Snow?"

"Yeah, but look."

He hadn't seen Carl this excited about something since before the turn. He threw the warm blankets off and climbed out of bed, noticing Michonne was already up and feeding Judith, who looked much better. She smiled at him before looking back down at the baby.

Once at the window Rick whistled. It was, literally, a winter wonderland outside, with snow still falling lazily in fat, fluffy flakes. The iron sky looked like it may offer a break in the clouds by noon.

"Over two feet, Dad," Carl said. "I wanna see if there's a sled somewhere."

"After you've made your bed, gotten dressed, and had breakfast," said Rick.

Carl rolled his eyes.

"No, Carl. Not without me. We don't know this area. We don't really know the layout yet. We're all going on a tour of the property together today to get to know it. Then we'll have time for some fun and games."

"Okay," he relented, and then headed over to kiss Judith.

To Michonne's surprise, he pecked her on the cheek too before rushing off to get his room cleaned up. He'd made a mess with soda cans and candy cane wrappers the night before, and he still had to make his bed.

After Rick relieved his bladder he opened the bathroom door to see Michonne needed the space. After she was done they ended up brushing their teeth in silence. She was still wearing that too-tight tee-shirt and a slight chill in the air had her nipples perked right up, tight under the thin material. He ignored it and then they rummaged for something to wear.

"I'm going to bag up our dirty clothes. Tara's doing laundry today. She may have to wash these a couple of times to get them really clean," she told Rick. "At least I know they fit."

"You look…"

He'd almost told her she looked damn good to him in the tight clothes but he caught himself.

"…all right."

Michonne fully grinned at that and shook her head before putting the toothbrush back and going to change Judith and get her ready for the day.

"How is she?"

"Fever's gone. She's not rattling as bad, or as cranky. Rick, I'm gonna stay in with Judith and tour the area later. She may fall asleep but I don't want her to wake up alone."

"Okay. That's fine," he said, and they headed down for breakfast.

…

_**Once they were finished eating breakfast**_ they bundled up and started for the door. Rick nearly didn't manage to catch himself, having almost kissed Michonne after kissing Judith on the forehead. It was a habit. Kiss the baby, kiss the woman. He thought he saw understanding and amusement in her eyes when he suddenly jerked back and nodded to her.

The property was bigger than they'd expected. They all huddled in their heavy winter coats and trudged through two feet of snow to examine vast fields. There was a lookout tower that was too icy to climb. In the misty distance they saw that the property was lined with them. A wall had been built to cross over the creek. Rick and the others wore themselves out, slipping and sliding, to reach the wall. Rick looked back, feeling anxious about leaving Michonne and Judith alone in the house.

"They're okay, Dad," Carl said, wiping at his red, running nose. "This place is secure."

"No place is fully secure, son," Rick reminded Carl, who nodded.

"These hills provide a natural barrier," Abraham said. "This wall seals off the property fairly good. Made of heavy stone and I see rebar in the reinforcements. A tank would have a hard time downing this bastard."

Rosita said, "That's good. Still, something happened here to wipe Nick's people out."

"He told us. One of them opted out and came back," Daryl said. "He attacked people who turned and attacked. Just like what happened to us at the prison."

"I don't trust easily. We stick together, at least in pairs, until we're familiar with how to keep this place up," said Rick.

"How long we staying?" asked Glenn.

"Until the snow thaws, at least."

Maggie and Glenn, Rosita and Abraham all shared a glance.

"What?" questioned Rick.

"This place is a goldmine," Abraham said. "Why leave it?"

"You want to stay permanently?"

"Eugene admitted he didn't think there was anything even in Washington," said Sasha. She remembered some of his last words, just before he died, not long after her beloved brother.

Rick saw Daryl take a step closer to Sasha. He looped one finger around one of hers and he felt a jolt of surprise and wondered, _When did that start?_

**...**

**A/N**: Thanks for reading, guys. As always, reviews appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: It's time to play in all that pretty snow.

**...**

_**Carl finally got what he wanted**_. Sledding.

There were three sleds in the shed. They retrieved them and then spent almost an hour sledding down the hills. There were also skis, something Rick hadn't done since his college days. He thought it may be easier to ski the property when the snow was thick on the ground, to do security rounds, than to try to trudge through snow.

"There's a couple of ski mobiles parked over there," Sasha pointed out.

Rick hadn't noticed them. "We may have to use those on a run," Rick said. "May be safer than the trucks should it ever come to that."

"Dad, come _on_!" Carl said, urging his father to hop on a sled with him.

The hill looked pretty steep to Rick and he wasn't keen on zooming down the side of it but his son looked too happy to refuse. Carl had lost too much of his youth to this damned plague and the horrors of this world. Seeing him so youthful and exuberant was uplifting in ways it was hard to put words to. His son was finally getting to be a kid, after having tried to be an adult for almost three years.

"You chicken?" Daryl asked, smirking.

"Are you? I haven't seen you get on a sled yet."

"He's too cool to ride a sled," Sasha said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah?" he asked, looping an arm around her shoulder. "I'll go if you go."

"Glenn, Maggie! Our turn!" Sasha called.

Rick watched Daryl trudge up the hill with her, pulling the sled behind him, and then he started to follow Carl.

"You ever seen Daryl like this before?" Carl asked him.

"Never. Didn't know he had it in him," said Rick. "Love changes people."

"Like Michonne?" Carl asked.

Rick frowned at him, struggling not to slip on the snowy hillside which was beginning to get packed from their footsteps and the tracks of the sled.

"What?"

"She's in love."

"With who?"

"You. Us," Carl said, shrugging.

"I don't think that's the case, Carl."

Carl snorted. "Yeah, okay. Everybody sees it but you so we must all be wrong, huh?"

Rick could only stand there and stare at his son, wondering what the boy was talking about. "See what?"

"Dad, she likes you. You like her too but you don't want to admit it. I see how you two are with each other."

"It's not like that. Michonne and I are friends."

"Well, if you're scared about me don't be. Mom can't come home, ever, so…no reason you gotta be alone forever, you know?"

"Race to the bottom?" Sasha asked. Apparently she and Daryl had overheard everything he and Carl had talked about and Rick was grateful she'd interrupted to keep him from having to struggle with a response.

"We're heavier so we'll win," Carl said.

"Hey, I've got a few pounds on you yet, kid," Sasha declared, setting the sleigh up and climbing on with Daryl in front of her.

Rick put Carl in back and they counted down before pushing off. To Carl's frustration Daryl and Sasha beat them by a few inches.

"Okay, we can't let that stand," Rick said, getting up and grabbing the sled. "Best two outta three."

"What do we get if we win?" asked Daryl.

"We'll do your chores for the night," Rick offered.

"We've got the dishes, Baby," Sasha said, and Daryl smiled down at her.

_God almighty_, Rick thought. Somebody called Daryl 'Baby' without severe retaliation. In fact, she was rewarded for it with a light kiss to the lips. Daryl actually kissed a woman, right in front of other people. Rick shook his head. He never thought he'd see the day.

**…**

_**After another hour of sledding they**_ all stomped home, exhausted, wet, and freezing. Because Daryl and Sasha had beaten Carl and Rick three for three they would have to wash the dinner dishes.

Rosita was cooking and the house smelled of fried fish and French fries, and cornbread. Carl grumbled to Michonne that Daryl had somehow cheated to win before he shivered.

"Go change into some dry clothes and climb under the covers," Michonne said, affectionately tousling his hair. He seemed to enjoy that, which was something Lori had been prone to do. Rick watched it, thinking that Carl really wanted a mother and perhaps was seeing things that weren't there, like Michonne being interested in him.

He had to admit, though, Michonne looked lovely standing at the kitchen counter with Judith on her hip, pulling her braids. He tried to envision what it would be like if they were a couple. It wasn't hard to do. God knows he'd fantasized about bedding her often enough. The idea that she may actually be interested in such nocturnal activities with him excited Rick.

"You're staring again," Tara whispered as she came to stand beside him, a knowing look twinkling in her eyes. "Look what I found in an office in the basement."

She held up a piece of paper while Rick hoped to God Michonne hadn't overheard Tara out him for ogling her. He looked it over and saw that it was a duty shift log. He saw Nick's name on it.

"Interesting," he said. "Security shifts, propane tank maintenance, feeding schedules for the animals. This is basically the things we need to know to best run this place. Good work, Tara."

"I'm going out to feed the horses now," she said.

"You ever dealt with a horse before?" asked Michonne.

Rick swallowed. Michonne had probably overheard Tara tell him he was staring. Again. He felt his face warm as Michonne came to talk to Tara. Finally, for the first time in a couple of days, Judith didn't cry when Michonne passed her to him.

"Hello, Sweetie," he crooned, kissing her forehead. She lay her head on his shoulder, sneezed, and went to sleep.

"Nope. How hard can it be?" Tara said.

"Hard. You can get kicked or bitten if you don't know what you're doing. I haven't gotten to see the property yet. Why don't you show me around and I'll show you how to handle the horses."

"Sounds good, but you'll need to wear something warmer than that."

"Be careful out there," Rick said. "Your ankle is still tender. I saw you limping."

"I'll be fine," Michonne said, and headed upstairs to change into something warmer.

Rick watched her go, unable to tear his eyes away from that firm round bottom he could see moving under the baggy men's shirt she still wore, knowing she was clad in those damn tight shorts she'd slept in the night before.

"You're staring again," Rosita said, flipping over a piece of fish.

He could only sigh as Abraham laughed loud and hard at his expense.

**...**

Thanks for reading, guys! Reviews are love *hugs*


	4. Chapter 4

In which Tara shares some terribly exciting news at a terribly inopportune time.

**...**

_**Dinner was a festive affair**_. The adults in the room were laughing, joking, and making plans for the day ahead. Rick held Judith in his lap while she tried to take food off his plate. He allowed her to taste some of the grease from his fork whenever he took a bite of his fried fish, which turned out to be a mistake because she began crying for a proper bite.

"You can't chew it, Sweetie," he tried to explain. Of course she didn't understand chewing quite that well, but she quieted down when he gave her a jar of banana baby food, which she found quite appealing.

True to their word, Rick and Carl took over the dinner dishes for Daryl and Sasha, who prepared to leave with Glenn, Maggie, Abraham, and Rosita, to the TV room, all the while arguing over what to watch.

"The Duchess," Rosita insisted. "It's a really good movie and it has Ralph Fiennes!"

"Oooh, Ralph Fiennes," Maggie said, nodding in agreement.

"Who cares about Ralph?" Abraham asked, pronouncing the name ralf instead of rafe, much to Rosita's annoyance.

"Stop being a dick, Abraham. There's sex in it. Lots of sex," she said, which got his attention.

"Fine," he acquiesced, "but after that I wanna watch Rambo."

That earned groans from the others, except Daryl. Rick found himself laughing as he watched them file down the hallway. He looked at Carl.

"I'm not comfortable with you watching a movie like that," Rick said. "Why don't you go find a book to read instead of just playing video games? I'll finish up here."

"Aw, Dad. Books are all I've had all this time."

"Good point," he said, in the mood to spoil his son for as long as possible. "Video games it is but be in bed by a reasonable hour tonight. We've got a lot to do tomorrow with chores on the property."

Carl nodded and rushed off. Almost as soon as he was gone Michonne came to stand beside him, rinsing the dishes he washed. They worked together in silence for awhile, just enjoying being close.

"I like how happy he is," Rick said.

"Me too. I've never seen him this joyful."

"How did Tara do with the animals?"

"She's a natural. She took to it like fish to water, actually."

"Where is she?" he wondered.

"Playing solitaire on the computer."

"Computer?"

Michonne nodded. "There's a laptop in the office. Said she misses the Internet and the porn she used to be able to download."

Rick laughed and shook his head. He regarded her for a moment. "I like seeing you happy, too."

She lifted her chin, looking playfully thoughtful. "I am happier than I've been in a long time."

"Mama!" Judith called in a demanding tone.

Without hesitation Michonne turned to look at her. "I'll be there in a minute, baby. I've gotta help Daddy with the dishes."

That sounded so natural coming from her lips that Rick felt his chest tighten. She didn't seem to realize the affect her words had on him. She was mothering his children. He wondered what it would be like if she started 'wifing' him. Images of her climbing into that little bed with him flitted through his mind. He pushed it away and finished the last of the cups.

With the kitchen clean and the sink wiped down Michonne picked Judith up. She was getting cranky and sneezy again so Michonne gave her another dose of medicine.

"There's a wet bar in the library," Rick said. "It's got some pretty good stuff. Wanna join me for a drink?"

"Sure. I may be able to get Judith to fall asleep."

They headed into the library and Rick heard the wind howling outside. He stood at the bar and poured a couple of snifters of brandy. After pressing his face to the window he could see it wasn't snowing but the wind was up. He wondered if there was anyone living out there, desperately trying to keep warm in the freezing cold. He hoped that whatever survivors were in that wind and cold had what they needed and would be okay.

He closed the curtains up tight and settled on the overstuffed sofa. Michonne had put Judith down on the loveseat, surrounded her with pillows to keep her from rolling, and then came toward him.

"You're limping again," he noted.

"I thought the cold would help with the swelling. It did but it still hurts."

"You need to stay off that foot," Rick said, handing her the brandy. "I don't want you to do permanent damage."

"Yes, sir!" she joked, and sipped brandy. "Mmmm…"

"I know. Quality booze. They must have been the first to loot the local liquor store considering some of the high price drinks they've got in that bar," he said. He tapped his leg when he saw she was rubbing at her ankle.

"What?"

"Give me your foot."

She stretched her leg out. He wished she was in those shorts instead of her pants so he could see all that smooth, flawless skin that graced every inch of her body, but he'd wait until later tonight for a glimpse of that. He gently massaged her ankle, hoping she forgot her clothes again before she took her shower so she'd have to come out in nothing but a towel again, her body dripping wet.

"Rick?"

"Huh?" he asked, feeling embarrassed. She'd been saying his name if the amused look on her face was anything to go by, while he'd sat there picturing the towel drop and him getting a full view of her body.

"I said what about security? The curtains here are heavy. Tara and I could barely see any light coming from them on our way back and we were close. I don't think anyone will be able to see the lights on from any distance but if they happen to wander down one of these mountains…"

"Right," he said, disappointed that Michonne wanted to talk business. He was hoping to talk about anything else, but this was familiar territory for them. It was safe. The thing is, he didn't want to just play it safe. "Well, We're going to have to man the towers at some point. Two people a night. I know it's cold but we've got winter gear that'll keep us warm when we're out there."

She nodded in agreement and tossed back the rest of her brandy.

"Want another?" he asked.

"I shouldn't. Judy might wake up in the night and need me. I don't want to sleep through it."

He nodded. "It's hard to learn to really relax, isn't it? We're always wary of something."

"PTSD. We've all got it."

She was looking at Judith, who slept peacefully, though she frowned as though the taste of the medicine Michonne had given her for her bedtime dose had invaded her dreams. Her little mouth worked and she frowned, making Rick grin. He watched the tender expression on Michonne's face as she gazed at the baby.

"You're a natural at mothering."

"I had a little boy," she said.

"You did?" he didn't know why he was surprised. She was so good with children. "What was his name?"

"Andre Anthony. He was three when…He was three," she said, looking down at his hands massaging the soreness from her ankle.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "Tell me about him."

He thought she would refuse, brush him off, but she didn't. She told him of her life before the turn and Rick drank in every word. When she came to the bad, to losing her son, losing her boyfriend and the other man, and how she'd used them as pets that ended up protecting her, he wanted to pull her close and hold her.

Her eyes came up to meet his after she finished talking. The gaze lingered a bit longer than maybe it should have. His hands naturally wandered further up her calf and her eyes drifted shut on a sigh that sounded as though it was fueled by more than just feelings of comfort from a friend. He stroked his fingers over her leg, his eyes glued to her. Her nipples hardened and he felt his breath catch in his throat.

"Guys!" Tara said exuberantly.

Rick pulled back and Michonne jerked her leg away from him, both of them startled into feeling as though they were doing something wrong when they weren't.

_Damn it_, Rick thought. _What crap timing, Tara_.

"Guess what today is?"

Rick couldn't care less and he didn't think Michonne did either. Still, he asked. "What?"

She literally bounced on her feet. "December 23rd. Tomorrow's Christmas Eve!"

**...**

**A/N**: Thanks for the positivity in the reviews, guys! I really appreciate every one.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**: If it seems too good to be true...it isn't. Not in this case. I'm giving it all to them because they deserve it. Plus, this stuff will come in handy later.

**...**

_**If Rick was honest he couldn't**_ have cared less about Christmas than he did at that moment. He wasn't in a Christmas state of mind. He was geared more toward Valentine's Day, and would rather have received a visit from Cupid than Santa. Tara's enthusiasm had awakened Judith who now cried, irritated at having been roused from sleep. Rick picked her up.

"Have you told Carl?" Michonne asked.

"No, just you."

"Don't," Michonne said.

Rick was curious now. "Why not?"

"I want it to be a surprise. We can get everything together and tell him tomorrow morning. Then he can help us decorate in the evening. We'll trim the tree. He'll love it."

Rick and Tara nodded in agreement. "That's a wonderful surprise," said Rick.

"That's if they have any decorations here," Tara said. "Think they'll be in the attic?"

"We'll find out. You have Judith?"

Rick nodded. "Yeah, I've got her."

They went down the hall to the TV room to find that _Rambo_ was playing instead of _The Duchess_.

"What happened to the other movie?" Michonne asked.

Rosita clucked her tongue and shot Abraham a suspicious glare. "The DVD wasn't in the case."

"I told you, I didn't do anything to that damn movie!" Abraham said defensively. Neither Rosita, Maggie, nor Sasha looked convinced. Glenn and Daryl smirked.

"I have news," Tara said excitedly. "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve."

She was alarmed when Maggie and Daryl shared a glance and then Maggie teared up.

"Okay, not the reaction I was expecting…"

"Christmas was Beth's favorite holiday," Maggie explained.

"Ty's, too," Sasha said sadly.

"Carol loved it as well," Daryl added.

"Oh. I guess you don't want to see if there are decorations then," Tara said.

Maggie took a deep breath and wiped at her eyes. "No. That's exactly what we should do. Beth, Ty, and Carol wouldn't want us to sulk. They'd want us to celebrate."

Rick settled in with Glenn, Abraham, and Daryl to watch the movie while the women all filed out and headed upstairs to the attic entrance. The mood had shifted, though, and Michonne felt sorry for her friends as they faced their first Christmas without their loved ones. She'd long since adjusted to the holidays coming and going and not celebrating them at all, much less grieving for lost loved ones in the process.

Once they reached the attic they began rummaging through everything but came up short.

"How weird," Sasha said, bewildered. "They've got Valentine's Day, Easter, even Fourth of July stuff but nothing for Christmas."

"Maybe it's in the basement? I mean, this place is pretty packed with junk," Maggie suggested.

"I didn't mean to interrupt, earlier," Tara said with a mischievous grin on her face.

Maggie and Sasha turned their gaze toward Michonne, curious.

"Inerrupt what?" asked Sasha.

"Rick rubbing Michonne's leg, looking deeply into her eyes before she sighed and almost moaned while he watched," Tara reported.

"Ooooh!" the other women said, laughing.

"Do tell!" Maggie demanded, her smile real. It was worth the ribbing she'd have to take just to see them all happy and smiling.

"It was nothing," Michonne said, blowing it off. "My ankle was still sore from when I twisted it."

"Uh-huh," Rosita said with open skepticism, making the other women laugh.

"You should have seen her," Tara said, pushing the ladder back up so they could close off the attic.

"I'll bet," said Sasha. "Rick's a hottie."

"You should see him clean shaven," said Maggie. "Hot doesn't begin to describe it."

"He looked pretty damn yummy when it was trimmed," Sasha said, remembering Rick as he was when she first met him.

"Like Daryl isn't yummy?" Michonne said, trying to deflect.

"Oh, yes, he's yummy," Sasha agreed. "But this isn't about me and Daryl, it's about you and Rick. Please tell me you took advantage of sharing that room with him."

"Rick and I are just friends. And he's sleeping in the twin bed to give Judy and me room."

"You didn't get into the little bed?" Rosita asked, looking disappointed.

"I would have gotten into the little bed with him, and I'm gay," Tara said.

"You're just desperate," Maggie teased, ruffling Tara's hair.

"True," she agreed.

They went into the basement and their mouths dropped open. Almost at once they rounded on Tara, demanding why she didn't tell them about the place.

"I was going to. Eventually," Tara said, looking dodgy.

The basement had been finished with oak flooring. A desk sat in the corner with a small lamp and a notebook computer, a Mac. There was a pool table by the opposite wall with pool sticks lined up neatly on the wall. A full bar was across from it. There was also a Ping-Pong table, and a foosball table in the room. Finally there was an unopened door.

"Probably in there," said Maggie.

"Wait," Michonne said, going to the wall and taking down a pool stick to use as a weapon. "It's dangerous to get careless."

Maggie nodded and they allowed Michonne to lead the way to the door. Cautiously she opened it up and flipped on the light, ready for anything that might lunge at them. There weren't any walkers inside but she was shocked at what she found.

"Go get the guys," she said.

**…**

"I've never seen so much toilet paper in my whole life and I had a Sam's Club membership," Tara said, looking at the almost ridiculous supply room. The house was a huge one, and the basement had been designed to encompass the entirety of the house, and then some, making an underground bunker that had been stuffed with supplies that could last a group three times their size for a lifetime.

"Nick said that the man who owned this place was a guy who'd planned for the end of the world," Daryl said, walking in with them and looking around. There were rows of shelves stuffed with supplies. There was soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and paper towels, even maxi pads and razors. There were also food items like beans, tins of flour and cornmeal that had been vacuum packed, and freezers that had been stuffed with things like cans of frozen juices, vacuum sealed vegetables, and fruits of all kinds. Just about anything they needed they had and it was packed to last years, including clothes and heavy winter gear and feed for the animals.

"Look. Says armory," said Glenn.

They headed to the door on the left of the room, half way down, and tested the doorknob. It was unlocked. Abraham reached in and switched on the light before throwing the door open, ready for something to attack. Instead they found the room empty of walkers or humans, but stuffed with other things.

"Look away ladies," Abraham said, walking into the room with a look of rapture on his face. "I'm about to get hard."

Guns lined the walls to the left and right. Automatic weapons, semi-automatic pistols, revolvers, shotguns, and compound bows. The opposite wall was lined with swords, daggers, and wicked looking knives and axes. Under the guns that hung on the walls were stacks of ammunition matching the weapons.

"Grenades…"Abraham said, caressing a crate that was stuffed full of them. He looked so happy he could cry.

Daryl had made a beeline for the opposite wall with Michonne right behind him to look at the swords and knives.

In the center of the room was a table set up with stations. "Look," said Rick. "Molds and equipment to manufacture ammunition."

"Gunpowder," said Tara. "Loads of it."

"This room is a potential bomb," Maggie said worriedly.

"Not if the temperature and humidity is maintained. This place was setup smart," said Abraham. He gently set a grenade down and called everyone's attention.

"What are you thinking, Baby?" Rosita asked, holding a Glock in hand.

"I'm thinking we're gonna have to get smart about guarding this place. We've had it hard on the run since this whole thing started. Now we've found a goldmine in supplies and a secure location, but we don't have numbers. Somebody gets a mind to try to take this place we could defend it but it wouldn't be easy."

"If people knew of this place they would have attacked already," said Daryl.

"Maybe, maybe not. We can't take the chance," said Rick. "We can't afford to get too comfortable. If you have something good there's always somebody who wants to take it from you. We've all learned that lesson the hard way, haven't we?"

They nodded silently in agreement. There was a part of Rick who still wanted to go to DC just to satisfy his curiosity but now he knew the chances of the others agreeing to leave this place vulnerable for takeover by another group was slim to none. He didn't blame them.

"All this stuff didn't help Nick's group in the end. We've got to be careful, vigilant," said Rick. "We can make it here. We never have to leave here if we're smart about it."

Glenn sighed. "I volunteer for first duty watch tonight."

"I'll go too," said Daryl.

"Can't we just enjoy Christmas?" Tara asked, looking disappointed.

Rick and Abraham shared a look. Finally Rick nodded.

"Yeah. We can do that. After, though, we get serious about protecting this place."

They left the armory and returned to the finished part of the basement. In a large cabinet they found the Christmas decorations.

"Bingo," said Tara happily. "All we need now is a tree."


	6. Chapter 6

_**The Christmas decorations went forgotten when**_ Glenn stepped behind the bar.

"What do you think you're doing?" Abraham asked.

"I used to tend bar in college," he said. "Name a drink. If I have the ingredients I can make it."

"Cosmo," Rosita said. "I love a good Cosmo."

"One Cosmo coming right up."

"I'd love a Sloe Gin Fizz," said Michonne.

They began making requests. Abraham wanted his Jack Daniels straight while Rick asked for a Mint Julep. Maggie got a Margarita that she shared with Tara. Sasha wanted a Screwdriver and Daryl got a Boilermaker.

With drinks pouring and Daryl playing Abe in a game of pool, Tara started up some music. The women danced but Rick refused, saying he wasn't going to make a total ass of himself. He and Glenn stayed seated and watched the women, sneaking glances in at Sasha and Rosita.

"Tara has a crush on Maggie," Glenn said, his words hidden under the thump of the music.

Rick nodded. "I noticed. You bothered by that?"

Glenn shook his head and gazed at Tara with a kind expression. "I'm not upset. I just feel bad that she's the only one alone. Unless we meet some people, she always will be."

"What does Maggie say about it?"

He shrugged. "Nothing. What can she say, really?"

They watched Maggie drag Tara away from the desk for a dance. Then a slower song began to play and Tara shuffled her feet, blushing, prepared to sit back down. Maggie looked to Glenn who nodded, and then she pulled Tara back onto the floor and draped her arms over Tara's shoulders while Tara rested her hands on Maggie's waist. Rick worried about that. He hoped Tara didn't read too much into Maggie's intentions and think she was trying to be more than a friend. Last thing he wanted was for a woman as kind and sweet as Tara to wind up brokenhearted.

"Michonne may want to dance," Glenn pointed out.

Maybe it was the liquid courage in his veins but Rick agreed and stood up to approach Michonne, who watched Abe make a shot that was so bad he cussed. Rosita pulled him away from the table and Sasha did likewise with Daryl. They were going to make their men slow dance whether they liked it or not. Michonne didn't resist when Rick led her to the floor and rested his hands on her waist.

_Slow dancing_

_swaying to the music_

_Slow dancing_

_just me and my girl..._

"I love this song," said Rick.

Michonne nodded. "I haven't heard this one in years."

Feeling bold, Rick pulled Michonne against him and she looped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. They saw the lights dim and Rick moved his hands to her back. It felt so good to hold her close. He breathed in the clean scent of her hair and the womanly scent that was unique to her.

The feel of her against him made Rick forget every bad thing they'd been through since all this started. There were only her curves, and how she was soft in all the place a woman should be. She fit against him perfectly. Like she'd been tailor made for him by God Himself.

After three slow songs Abraham announced he was calling it a night. They agreed it was far too late to stay up and they started to clean up but Tara volunteered. She knew that Abraham and Rosita, Glenn and Maggie, and Daryl and Sasha weren't heading off to bed just to sleep. Rick and Michonne knew it too and they looked awkwardly at one another.

"You two go on. I've got this," Tara told them.

"Thanks, Tara," Rick said.

Rick wasn't really ready for the night to end. Not after the way he'd held Michonne, and the way she'd melted into his embrace. He was sure Michonne felt the same way.

They reached the second floor and saw Daryl had Sasha pressed against the door to their room, kissing her passionately. He reached behind her and opened the door before he hoisted her up so that she could wrap her legs around him. Both were oblivious to Rick and Michonne's presence. Daryl literally kicked the door shut and by the time Rick and Michonne passed by their room they could hear moans.

Rick wondered what Michonne would do if he kissed her, especially with the kind of passion Daryl had laid on Sasha.

He wouldn't get to find out. Carl was in their room with Judith. She was screaming and angry, and as soon as she saw Michonne she held up her arms. "Mama mama..."

She looked so unhappy it was hard to be upset but Rick couldn't deny being deeply disappointed. He'd hoped she would be asleep.

"She's been screaming for ten minutes," Carl said, looking both frightful and annoyed. "I changed and fed her. I don't know what else to do."

"Don't worry, she's just cranky. I've got her now," said Michonne.

Carl nodded. "I can keep her if you can get her to sleep."

Michonne shook her head and stroked the hair away from his forehead. "You get some rest. I have a big day planned for you tomorrow."

"Feeding the horses?" he asked hopefully.

"That too but also something fun. A surprise."

He looked happy about that and headed out, giving his father a kind of smirk that made Rick feel embarrassed enough to want to talk the back of his son's head on his way out.

"I had a good time tonight," Rick said, watching her soothe Judith to sleep.

She smiled prettily at him. Then again, Rick thought every expression to cross her face was pretty, even the ones that warned she was about to kick some ass. "So did I," she said, and settled down with Judith.

**...**

_**It was a hours**_ _**later when **_Rick felt the covers lift.

"Judith wet the bed," Michonne said, and Rick scooted over to make room for her in the little bed. He settled in behind her and tried to push away the filthy thoughts that flooded his mind as he lay there behind her. He kept seeing Daryl, and how confident he'd been in the way he'd handled Sasha. If only he could be so brazen.

Rick wondered if he'd sleep at all with Michonne in bed with him. She was so warm and all he could think was how good it would feel to sink inside her, to feel her wet warmth around him, squeezing him as he thrust deep into her. The clock on the bedside table said it was ten to six. He needed to pee but couldn't make himself disturb her. She shifted and grazed against him and, to his embarrassment, he hardened. A light moan escaped him.

He felt her rest a hand over his and gently urge it down until his fingertips slipped into the waistband of her panties. Taking the hint, Rick eased his hand in, brushing over her soft curls to find her moistened folds. He pressed his palm against her and rubbed, making her moan and shift to give him better access.

"Come here," he whispered.

Michonne turned flat on her back, her dark eyes locked onto his as he slipped a finger inside.

"I've wanted you for so long," he confessed.

"Me too. I wasn't sure you felt-"

She gasped when Rick added a second finger.

"Harder," she sighed.

He was about to oblige when there was a knock at the door.

"Dad? Michonne? Breakfast is almost ready. Can I come in?"

Michonne pushed at his hand and jumped from the bed, her face filled with embarrassment as she called, "Come on in."

She gave Rick a longing glance and then ran for the bathroom.

**...**

**A/N**: I hope you like reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it, which was quite a bit! Please review.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**: In which Rick and Michonne finally find a moment alone. Carl has a talk with Michonne, who promises him a surprise. Michonne and Maggie open up to one another. Rick and Michonne come to an understanding.**  
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**...**

_**"****How's Judy?"**_

Rick was careful to keep under the covers so Carl didn't see the state he was in.

"She's fine," he said, hoping he didn't sound as tense as he felt. "We overslept so we'll be a little late for breakfast."

His son nodded. If he had any idea what he'd broken up he gave no hint of it now. "I'll save a couple of plates. Daryl's a bacon hog. So is Tara."

"Thanks, son."

As soon as Carl left Rick hurried over to the bathroom door and knocked. Michonne opened it and pulled him into the room, which was steaming from the shower. She pulled him into a kiss and wrapped one of her long legs around him. His hips instinctively thrust forward and he gripped her ass, something he'd been waiting far too long to do.

Michonne ground her pelvis against Rick's erection, eliciting a deep moan from him. He pushed her against the door and pressed into her, putting pressure on just the right spot. Her head fell back and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue across her skin and was rewarded with a sigh.

"We need to finish what we started," she growled.

He agreed, wholeheartedly, and backed her toward the sink. The mirror had fogged over, offering him a hazy reflection of himself. He turned Michonne around to face the mirror over the sink while pushing her shorts and undies down. Once again he sought her out with his fingers, running them over her sensitive flesh until she was dripping wet, panting, begging for more with the way she rubbed against him. They locked eyes in the mirror as he pushed deep inside of her, finding that her body was even more warm and giving inside, and as well matched, as he imagined she'd be.

**...**

_**Two plates waited in the oven**_ when Rick and Michonne came down for breakfast.

Tara looked pale and tired while she shipped her coffee.

"I hate hangovers," she complained.

"The price of a good party," Michonne said. "You say anything to Carl yet?"

She shook her head and closed her eyes. "He's waiting for you. Said he wants to feed the horses and the chickens. Abe, Daryl, and Sasha are defrosting the guard tower ladders and clearing paths around the property. I don't know where Maggie is, or Glenn."

Michonne took Carl out to the barn where the animals were waiting for breakfast. A narrow path had been cleared and salted so travel was easy.

"I told Dad you love him. Or at least like him. I wasn't wrong was I?"

Carl had this hopeful expression on his face. She'd dated a man once who'd divorced his wife and his daughter had loathed her. She was relieved Carl seemed open to these idea of her and his father in a relationship but she wasn't sure where they were going.

"I do care for him," she said.

His face fell. He'd obviously been hoping for better than she cared for his father. "Oh."

They worked in silence for awhile before Michonne said, "I really care for him but it's complicated. It's new, to me, opening up to your father after what happened with Mike. I want to try. I think Rick does too. I just don't want to promise anything this soon. We need time."

Carl nodded. "It's just cool when you do stuff like look after Judith and Dad and... Stuff..."

He was so young. Almost fourteen. He was still tender enough to want a mother. He was trying so hard not to put pressure on her, or to scare her away, while also asking for what he needed. He liked having her take care of him and he wanted to tell her. He just didn't know how.

"No matter what does or doesn't happen between me and your father, I will always be there for you and Judith. Till my last breath, which will be a long time from now. You'll be an old man before you get rid of me."

He seemed to take comfort in that, and they went back to work, with him telling her about the game he was playing.

…

_**The sun was up when Carl**_ and Michonne returned to the house but clouds were moving in. There was a kick to the wind that Daryl said smelled like snow.

"You can smell snow?" Glenn said skeptically. "Literally smell it?"

"Picked it up from my grandfather," he said, nodding while Glenn snorted in disbelief.

"Don't laugh," Abraham jumped in. "I had a cousin who could sense how much snow or rain was in the air and he was never wrong. It's a real gift."

"How many inches?" asked Glenn.

"I'm calling between two and three feet."

Glenn snorted again and shook his head.

"A blizzard," Daryl clarified. He looked at Michonne, motioned her over. "I got a tree in the shed. Rick and I are gonna go into town to look for stuff for gifts and some wrapping paper. Want anything special?"

"I'll find something around the house. I'd rather you didn't leave. I have a bad feeling about it. We have everything we need here. Gifts aren't necessary."

"That's what I thought," he agreed. "I'll talk to him."

"Hey. I'm happy for you and Sasha. You make a good match."

His smile was shy when he said, "Yeah, we do."

"You seen Maggie?"

"She's in her room. Hung over."

"I'm gonna take her some seltzer tablets."

That was one reason Michonne wanted to see Maggie. She needed someone to talk to and she knew Maggie best of the women in the family. She grabbed some Alka-Seltzer and a cup of water and went to Maggie's room. She found her lying in bed and she moaned when Michonne entered.

"Drink this," she said, plopping the tablets into the water. "You remember the old jingle? Plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is? They really do help."

"They taste awful," she groaned, but drank it down quickly, getting it over with. She could feel the stuff start bubbling in her stomach, and she knew the aspirin in it would help ease her throbbing headache.

"You okay?" she asked, picking up that Michonne had something on her mind.

"Rick and I had sex this morning."

Maggie's face broke into a smile. "Oh, my God. It's about damn time. How was it?"

Michonne took a deep breath. "Awesome."

Maggie found herself giggling. "You know I'm gonna have to have the dirty details."

Michonne threw her head back and sighed. "Well, not too many details. Judith wet the bed and so I climbed into the small bed with him."

"Well of course!" Maggie said, nodding with a look of the purest innocence on her face. "Who wants to sleep in a wet spot. Oh, wait…you ended up sleeping in one anyway, didn't you?"

"You're disgusting!" Michonne said, laughing outright for the first time in a long time. "No. He and I started fooling around but Carl came to tell us breakfast was ready and so I ran to the bathroom. After Carl left Rick came in and…"

"You did it in the bathroom! Tell me he bent you over the sink and you two stared one another in the eye through the mirror while you did it. That is so hot."

"Actually, that's exactly what happened."

"Bathroom sex is awesome. Glenn and I don't do it nearly enough. But you're not just here to dish about the dirty, are you?"

Michonne shook her head. "I don't know where we'll go from here."

"Where do you want it to go?"

"Honestly? I want it to go as far as it can. Marriage. Kids. A lifelong commitment. I just…I'm scared."

"Of what, Honey?"

Maggie took hold of Michonne's hand. It was a comforting touch.

"That he just wants a fling. That he's lonely. That he could want the same thing I want and we marry and have kids and then I have to watch him being torn apart by monsters or he'll end up seeing that happen to me."

Maggie was silent for a long time, biting her lip as she lost herself in thought. "I wanted all of those things. Then, for awhile I lost Glenn and Beth, right after losing my father. I found Glenn. I got him back and I felt like the luckiest woman in the world. I only wanted Beth back, then life could be complete, no matter how hard it was. I tried to make myself give up on her…"

"Maggie," Michonne said, when tears fell from her friend's eyes.

"I thought it would be easier if I didn't know what happened, that I could move on, so I pretended she died with Daddy that day. I should have talked about her. I should have thought about her more but I didn't. I'll never forgive myself for that. You remember! We got to the hospital and she was gone. I wasn't there for her. I was too late. I really did lose her the day I lost Daddy. I just didn't know it. I'll regret that for the rest of my life. Michonne, you can't pass up an opportunity to take all you can get from this life. Happiness is rare and precious. If you get the chance to love someone, and be loved by them, grab onto it with both hands and don't let go. You will lose it someday. Somehow. Even if it's just to old age. Take what you can while you can. You be with Rick. You be a mother to his children because they need that, and they want that, with you. Be happy for as long as you can. It's the good memories that keep you going when the bad times roll back around."

She touched Michonne's face, her fingers tenderly pushing back her braids.

"Be happy. Be with him. Most importantly, _tell_ him. He needs to hear it. I mean, we can all see how he feels about you. Trust me: he's not going to reject you."

Michonne pulled Maggie into a tight hug. After a few moments she released her friend so she could lie back down and get some rest.

"Thank you. I needed to hear that."

She went to the door but stopped and looked back at Maggie.

"Beth loved you. She knew you loved her. I don't think she'd want you to beat yourself up."

Maggie nodded but the pain was still vivid in her eyes. Michonne shut the light out and pulled the door closed.

…

_**Michonne came downstairs from her talk**_ with Maggie and put herself into the job of helping with chores. Judith was feeling much better and insisted on playing with the new toys they'd gathered for her. All Michonne had to do was take her around with her as she dusted and swept floors and she was satisfied. By lunch, however, she wanted a diaper change and her bottle.

"She's had an exhausting day," Michonne told Rick, when he came in from prepping the guard towers for use.

"Oh yeah?"

"She did some hardcore playing while I cleaned."

Rick smiled and kissed Judith on the cheek while she finished off her bottle. He lovingly stroked her hair and said, "Were you a good girl for Mommy today?"

Judith rewarded him with a smile that turned into a yawn. Rick sat down at the kitchen table and put together a sandwich with the tuna salad Michonne had made. She joined him, along with Daryl.

"You're okay with not going into town?" Michonne asked.

Rick nodded. "We have everything here. I don't mind staying put."

She looked relieved. "How goes work on the towers?"

Daryl answered, "The steps are cleared and so are the ladders. We're putting weapons and ammo up. Scores have already been set up. We just needed to clear the ice of 'em. We're setting up other supplies and some boards to block the wind."

"The radios are charged up," Rick added. "There are bells we can ring in an emergency."

"How is the view up there?" she asked.

"The towers are pretty tall. We can see the main road that leads past the gate when it's clear if we use the scope. Otherwise the trees are pretty dense, even without leaves. When the trees are in bloom they'll provide cover from travelers who may pass by on the road, or use the woods for cover from walkers," said Daryl.

"My chief concern is the sheer size of this place. It was populated by a big group at one point," Rick told her.

"How many?"

"Nick told us twenty but Tara was on the computer and found old duty logs and supply lists and a roster. Used to be forty people here when it all started," Rick answered.

Michonne exchanged uncomfortable glances with Daryl and Rick. "_Forty_ people? Now there's no one from the start left?"

Rick nodded. Daryl sighed and scratched at his chin and said, "I wonder if there's something Nick didn't tell us," he said.

"Like was he part of a group that took this place from the people who built it?" she wondered.

"Or if they were attacked by another group and won but with heavy losses," said Rick.

"This place started with forty people to defend it. Here we come with only nine. We could do it but it won't be easy," said Daryl.

"It'll come down to numbers, not supplies," said Rick. "We've got supplies to last two lifetimes. It's numbers that we're lacking. You know what they say. There's safety in numbers."

"You open to the idea of taking people in like we did at the prison?" asked Daryl.

Rick thought it over. "When the weather changes, if we encounter someone needing help, we can feel them out. I don't mind helping survivors as long as it's a few people at a time and not a big group who may try to stage a coup."

**...**

_**They finished lunch. Judith was asleep **_and Michonne took her to the TV room to clean. She saw Rick come in and close the door.

"Hey," he said, somewhat awkwardly.

Michonne felt herself tense inside. Was this it? Was he about to tell her they'd made a mistake that morning? Would what she had thought was sexual tension brewing between them for months turn out to be only in her mind, on her part and not his?

"You want to talk?" she asked.

Rick nodded. "Yeah. I want to talk about what happened between us this morning. I know it must have seemed sudden. I don't want to put too much on you too quickly."

Michonne did her best to look like she didn't care. She wasn't going to let hurt or disappointment show so she began to dust.

When she didn't say anything Rick continued. "I'm just not sure where you stand, or what you want. I really enjoyed what happened and I liked being close to you and... I didn't want it to be a one-time thing. It can be if you want-"

She almost dropped the duster in relief and she laughed.

He looked confused. "What?"

"I thought you came in here to blow me off."

She walked over to him.

Now it was his turn to laugh. "No, not at all."

"You want to know what I feel?"

Rick nodded and Michonne showed him with a slow deep kiss. He rested his hands on her hips and pulled her close.

"What I want is you. I want a life here with you, and Carl, and Judy. I want a real life, to be happy and whole..."

"That's what I want," he whispered, his forehead pressed to hers. "We can have that here."

She swallowed and nodded. "I worry that we'll run into another Governor type."

"That's always possible. I won't pretend this place is some impregnable fortress but it's set up well. We have supplies, we have weapons and ammo and we can make it work. All we can do is our very best and hope that's enough. I promise you one thing: I'd die to defend you and the kids."

Michonne nodded, feeling a pool of dread deep in her belly at the very thought of that happening. "That's my biggest fear. That you'll die or I'll lose one of the kids."

"We can't hide from death forever but I'll avoid it as long as I can."

Rick pulled Michonne closer, pressing her body flush against his.

"I really want to kiss you again."

Michonne draped her arms over his shoulders and clasped them behind his neck. "You never have to ask."

He pressed his lips to hers. They were so caught up in the moment they didn't see Carl ease the door shut, his face split in a grin from ear to ear.

**...**

I want to thank you all for reading and offering such kind feedback. This isn't my usual type of story. It's pure fluff and good feels but I think we need that sometimes in our lives, you know? I know it makes me feel good to write this fic. I hope it brings you joy to read it. Please review! Oh, and for those reading Touches, yeah, it's a multi-chapter. There's more to come of that fic, too ;)


	8. Chapter 8

In which the family shares memories of family past. The tree is trimmed. Rick gets a taste of a sweet Georgia peach.

**...**

"_**I can't believe I ever hated**_ peas," Carl said. "I can't believe I hated any vegetable. Especially ones that didn't come out of a can."

"Fried chicken," Maggie said, picking up a drumstick. She wished her father and sister were there to see the place they called home. She wished all their fallen friends could be there.

"Save me a thigh, Rosy!" Abraham called from the kitchen.

"Where are Dad and Daryl?"

"They're bringing something in from the shed."

"Something to do with the surprise?"

Michonne nodded. "I know you've been waiting all day. You don't have to wait much longer."

"Is it a present?"

"Something fun for us to do. All of us together."

He was trying to guess what it was but couldn't. Abraham came in from the kitchen with a huge bowl of buttered potatoes and a tureen of gravy, Rick and Daryl coming in behind him.

Daryl pointedly looked at Glenn. "It's snowin' like crazy out there."

The others laughed. Maggie nudged Glenn. Sasha raised her brow at him. Finally he relented and nodded.

"Okay, Daryl. You were right that it was gonna snow but we still don't know if it'll be a full three feet."

"Oh it will be."

Tara put a wing on her plate and said, "My sister used to make a ton of these for the Superbowl. She didn't really like the game. She just loved the new commercials."

"Beth and I used to be scared for Daddy when he'd watch football," Maggie said with fondness. "He'd get so into the game his face would flush and veins would stand out on his temples. We were always so worried he'd work himself into a heart attack or a stroke."

"Mom would never let Dad host a Superbowl party. She said the one time she let it happen it took two days to set the house right because he invited half the neighborhood over and they turned out to be the biggest slobs in town," said Rick.

"My family was never into football," said Abraham. "We were baseball fans. World Series was the big event for us."

They kept trading stories but Tara noticed Daryl was the only one who didn't contribute to the conversation.

"How about you Daryl? Football, baseball, or hockey for your old man?" she asked. Rick cringed inside. Tara, Rosita, and Abraham didn't know Daryl like he and the others did. They didn't know not to bring up his past, especially his father.

"None. I don't have a bunch of happy sappy memories to share."

Tara looked horrified. "I'm sorry. Boy, ain't I an asshole?"

Daryl shrugged. There was a time he would have stormed out in anger and humiliation but at some point during his time with Beth he'd learned to let go of his past. That made Rick feel both affection and sadness for her loss.

"It's alright. Not your fault my dad was a drunken douche."

"We'll make memories of our own," Sasha said. "All of us, here."

Abraham was the first to raise his glass in a toast. "To new, good memories. To the good life."

The others lifted their glasses. "To the good life!"

**...**

"_**Okay. It's time we have a**_ little fun. A nice project to work on," Michonne said, once the apple pie had been eaten.

Carl looked expectant as Michonne led him to the living room. Rick and Daryl had set up a tree, a big, robust pine that had filled the room with its pleasing scent.

Just as Michonne had hoped Carl's face lit up. "Oh my God, it's Christmas?"

"Christmas Eve, specifically," she told him.

There was a moment he became emotional. He blinked and swallowed, composing himself. He didn't cry but he looked wet in his eyes and his nose reddened.

"This is my favorite time of the year," he said.

"Mine too," said Michonne. "What do you say we trim the tree?"

"Yeah."

"We've got enough stuff to decorate the library and the TV room, too," said Tara.

"I call the library," Sasha said.

"I've got the basement," Tara announced. "I want it to look good for the Christmas party tomorrow night."

"Maggie sat down with Michonne, Rick, and Carl to help trim the tree while Daryl went off with Sasha to the library.

"Where are you two going?" asked Michonne, looking at Abraham and Rosita.

"We've got to clean up the kitchen and get ready to make everyone's presents for tomorrow," she said, and walked off with Abraham.

"How much you wanna bet Daryl and Sasha don't get much done in the library?" Carl asked, smirking knowingly. "They're like a couple of bunny rabbits."

Maggie and Michonne laughed while Rick lightly kicked him. "Son," he said warningly.

They had fun with the tree. Carl wanted a red and blue theme with gold accents so they left a lot of the colorful bulbs in their boxes and began to hang only the red, blue, and gold ones. He hated icicles and gaudy lights, wanting only to string the clear ones.

"You've got good taste," Michonne said, helping him to walk the lights around the tree. "This is a very tasteful tree."

"You thought it would be gaudy and tacky?"

"I thought you'd go for supreme gaudy," she laughed.

"Mom liked to decorate trees this way. I learned from her."

"Well, sounds to me like Lori knew her stuff."

Carl nodded. "So do you. What's the word for everything being balanced?"

"Symmetrical?"

"Yeah. This tree is good and symmetrical."

He got some of the lights caught in his hair and once Michonne helped him wiggle free she brushed his bangs out of his eyes.

"That's it, Carl. I'm cutting your hair tomorrow after dinner. This is out of hand."

"Fine by me. Mom was the…" he trailed off. "Sorry. I keep doing that."

"It's okay to talk about her," Michonne reassured him. "I'd love to know about the woman who raised such a fine young man as you."

She knew he had hang-ups and thought he was a monster but Michonne was determined to prove him wrong on that. She smiled and listened to stories about Christmases past with his mother. Sadly, he didn't have as many memories to share with Michonne as she could have told him. Like Sasha had said, however, they'd make memories in this new place, and they'd be good ones.

Rick watched his woman and son talking, stringing lights, getting every touch on the tree just perfect, his heart feeling lighter and warmer than it had in years, even before the turn. He felt Maggie's hand on his shoulder and he looked at her.

"We really are going to have a good life here," she said.

Rick nodded. "Yes, we are."

…

_**The stockings were hanging over the**_ hearth, which had a cozy fire burning within. The tree was finished, but not yet lit, and Rick tended to Judith while Michonne and Carl cut out letters to initial the stockings. He walked to the library and found that it was festively decorated but didn't go in since Sasha and Daryl were kissing on the love seat. He left them to it. Tara refused to let him into the basement to see her, as she called it, work in progress, but she took a break to come up to see the living room.

By the time he and Judith got back Daryl and Sasha were also in the living room, along with Abraham and Rosita, who had flour on their aprons and hands. The kitchen was producing the smell of something good, chocolate chip cookies Rick thought. He looked at his family, his whole family, and thanked God he had them. Judith was awake, looking at her first ever Christmas tree in wonder.

"Wait till it lights up," Rick told her. She looked up at him with wide eyes full of curiosity and his heart swelled with love for her.

"She looks just like Grandma Bea," Carl said, looking at Judith.

"Who's Bea?" asked Tara.

"My mother," Rick said, and studied Judith. She turned her profile to him and sure enough, he could see his own mother's face. It was remarkable how he'd ever missed it. Rick was certain that Carl knew nothing about the question of Judith's parentage. Without even realizing it he'd given Rick a gift he'd refused to allow himself to want-the definitive answer to the question of whether or not Judith was his or Shane's daughter by blood. It wouldn't have mattered. She was his daughter no matter what. Still, seeing his own mother in his daughter's face was something that eased an ache of pain and regret deep in his heart that he'd forced himself to ignore.

"I miss her," Carl said, thinking of the grandmother who'd died the year before the turn of a heart attack.

"Me too," said Rick. "She's here with us now, in spirit, in Judith."

"Okay, Carl. You do the honors," Michonne said, stepping back to stand beside Rick. He put an arm around her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek, close to her mouth, while Carl went over to the tree and plugged it in.

The whole room erupted in cheers.

"Oh, it's beautiful," Rosita said. "You guys did a lovely job on it."

"Merry Christmas everybody," Carl said. "Hey, let's sing Christmas songs!"

"Sasha, go on," Daryl said, nodding.

"Go on what?" asked Abraham.

"He means the piano. I'm a little rusty. I haven't played in years."

"You'll warm up to it."

Sasha headed for the Baldwin across the room and sat down, running her fingers over the keys, filling the room with beautiful sound.

"Rusty my ass," Abraham said, chuckling.

"It's like riding a bike, I guess," she said, and looked to Carl. "Got a request?"

"O Holy Night. It was Mom's favorite."

Sasha began to play, her fingers expertly bringing the song to life while the others began to sing.

…

_**It was late when they decided**_ to turn off the tree for the night. It was bedtime for Carl and Judith. Michonne sent Carl away with a kiss and he insisted he keep his sister.

"I never spend time with her anymore," he said. While that was partly true, Rick suspected he just wanted to give him some time alone with Michonne, which he appreciated.

Once he was gone, Abraham and Rosita returned to their work in the kitchen and Tara headed for the basement with the rest of them, deciding it was okay for them to see the job she'd done. Festive was perhaps the best word Michonne could come up with. If it had color, Tara had used it. A bright red banner reading Merry Christmas hung on the wall over the pool table. Snow globes also lined the bar.

"Great job!" said Maggie.

"You mean it? It isn't too much on the eye?"

"Not at all," she said, kissing her on the cheek.

"We should raid the supply room," Glenn suggested. "We can find things to give each other as gifts."

They headed for the supply room and began rummaging through the shelves, setting things aside. Rick hit the armory looking for something for Michonne that he thought she'd like. After half an hour of shopping through things, seeing what they had, they decided to head for bed.

Rick was excited, and he could see Michonne was too. They had the room to themselves. They'd have the big bed to themselves since Judith refused to sleep in the cradle, away from Michonne. He closed the door to the room and went to brush his teeth while Michonne started running a bath. He decided he'd use the separate shower while she bathed. He enjoyed watching her run the washcloth over her skin, watching the way the water lapped over the swell of her breasts.

He gazed in the mirror at his grizzled reflection. Michonne watched as he took out some scissors and began to trim his beard down. Then he lathered up and picked up a razor and began to shave. She'd never seen him without facial hair, and as she watched him slowly clean his face of all hair she felt herself moisten with need.

God, he was gorgeous. The thing about Rick was she was pretty sure he didn't know it.

When she stood at the sink to brush her teeth, Rick came up behind her and rested his hands over her belly and kissed her neck. She enjoyed the feel of his smooth face against her. Her eyes took him in, still amazed by how gorgeous and youthful he looked while clean-shaven.

"I'm in the mood for more dessert," he told her.

"I think there's some apple pie left," she said before rinsing.

He ran his hands over her belly, circling low, just above the patch of soft curls between her legs.

"Pie isn't want I want for dessert," he said. "I'm in the mood to taste a sweet Georgia peach."

His voice was low in her ear and she felt her knees turn to jelly. "Go get in bed. I have something for you."

He made a sound of protest. He didn't want to take his hands off her.

"Just be patient. I know you'll like it."

"Okay."

He headed for the bedroom and waited, trying not to get hard at the thought of being inside her again. He wanted to last as long as possible, to make it good for her, since he felt he'd come too soon their first time. He tried not to beat himself up. It had been a long time for him and Michonne understood.

All thoughts and worries about his performance vanished when Michonne emerged from the bathroom in a white negligee. It was lacy and transparent, even the panties provided a very clear view, and he felt his pulse quicken. He swallowed.

"Jesus…"

"You like it?"

"Like doesn't begin to describe it."

She even had white stockings on that came up mid-thigh. He drank her in as she slowly approached the bed.

"You're beautiful," he whispered, genuinely amazed that a woman as good and strong and capable and beautiful would want anything to do with him.

"So are you, handsome," she said, crawling up the length of his body, planting kisses over his belly, which quivered at every brush of her lips. She straddled him and he rested his hands on her thighs. She smoothed her fingertips over the planes of his face.

"Would it be too soon," she said, "to tell you I love you? That I have for a long time?"

"Not too soon at all. I love you too."

He urged her close to him and kissed her, slow and deep, while running his hands along her long, powerfully built legs. Her skin was baby smooth but her nipples were wonderfully stiff against his chest. He planted kisses everywhere he could, hearing her breath quicken. She didn't object as he eased her onto her back and unclasped her bra, freeing her perky breasts and thumbing her hardened nipples.

"Oh, Michonne…" he sighed, taking in every plain of her body.

He hadn't been lying when he said he loved her. He loved her so much his heart could hardly contain it. He bit his lip as he maneuvered himself lower on the bed. He looked up at her and watched her hands play with her breasts. She gripped her nipples and jiggled her tits, making his cock harden and a moan pour from his mouth.

He worked her panties down and threw them to the side. He could smell her arousal, see her curls moistened with it, and it was driving him mad with need.

Rick lowered his lips to her and licked, getting a good taste of his sweet Georgia peach.

**...**

Aw, I hope that chapter felt as good to read as it did for me to write. Review, my lovelies! :)


	9. Chapter 9

In which everyone exchanges gifts on Christmas morning. Maggie has some great news for Glenn and the family. Daryl has a special gift for everyone. New faces pose a potential threat.

**...**

_**Michonne woke early Christmas morning.**_ She was intensely aware of the changes in her body from beginning a sexual relationship with Rick. She'd found some spermicide in the supply room and put it to good use the night before. She and Rick were going to have to be more responsible and use the condoms they had a healthy supply of. She wanted a child with him but not right away. They needed some time to just be together and in love.

Thoughts of last night made her smile. When she and Rick first had sex it hadn't lasted long. She understood the reasons why and she knew Rick hadn't been happy with how it had all happened. He'd certainly made up for it and then some last night. He'd taken time to drive her crazy, first with his mouth and fingers, then with his body. He'd been an animal, giving it to her hard and rough like she'd asked him to. Just the memory moistened her. The ghost of penetration could be felt as she got up, not sore but tender, and went to use the bathroom and shower.

It was her turn to cook breakfast. She left Rick asleep and went down to brew coffee. She plugged in the tree and then looked out of the window. A smile tugged at her lips. Snow was still falling but not with the same intensity as the night before. There was easily three feet of fresh powder on the ground. It truly looked and felt like Christmas.

Family began to trickle down as she checked on the breakfast casserole she'd made. She set to work buttering toast as Rosita came in looking ridiculously cute in a pair of Bugs Bunny pajamas and matching slippers.

"What a racket last night," she said, making Michonne's face flush.

"Sorry," she said. She supposed she had cut loose but she hadn't meant to disturb anyone.

"Oooh! Do tell," she said, sipping her coffee.

"You weren't talking about me?"

"Maggie and Glenn."

"Oh."

Rosita grinned at Michonne. "So... It happened, huh?"

Michonne nodded and the two women broke into fits of giggling.

"What's so funny?" Abraham asked, coming in wearing plaid pajamas.

"Nothing," the women chorused innocently.

He mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'women' under his breath.

"What did you just say?" Rosita demanded.

"Nothing."

"Smart ass."

"Yes, Dear," he wisely replied, and sipped his coffee.

As soon as breakfast was eaten they filed into the living room. Judith was fascinated by the tree. Everyone took down their stockings and pulled out the candy. Michonne passed Carl a pair of Japanese tanto she'd found.

"Oooh, cool!"

"We'll train in the evenings if your father doesn't object."

"Not at all. The more skills he had the better. Here."

He gave Michonne a beautifully wicked-looking hunting knife. She strapped it to her boot and decided she liked the feel of it.

"Thank you, Baby," she said to Rick, making Carl laugh at hearing her refer to his father as 'Baby'.

Glenn gave Tara a book he thought she'd enjoy. Sasha gave Daryl a poem written on beautiful parchment. He gave her an ornately carved hairpin that had her smiling. It really was artfully carved.

"Is this what you've been working on in the den? Oh, Baby, thank you."

Abe and Rosita have each other guns before they handed out small wax paper sacks they'd stuffed with chocolate chip cookies and seven layer bars.

"I got something for the whole family," Daryl said. "Hang on."

Sasha was grinning so it was obvious she knew what it was. A minute later Daryl came downstairs and Carl's eyes all but popped out of his head.

"Oh my God! A puppy!"

The puppy was chubby and fuzzy and just adorable. Red and white fuzzy fur gave it a rounded, babyish look.

"It's a Husky!" Carl said excitedly. "What's his name?"

"I like Tundra," said Daryl.

"Hey Tundra! Hey boy!"

Tundra became so excited at all the attention he peed all over Daryl, who had to leave while Glenn gave Maggie a pair of boots.

As soon as Daryl returned Maggie handed Glenn a box.

"This will have special meaning for all of us," said Maggie.

Glenn pulled open the box and pulled the paper back before going pale. "Oh... Wow..."

Everyone was silent until Glenn held up the stick from a pregnancy test.

"Maggie!" he said, with wide eyes full of joy and wonder. "We're having a baby!"

Once again the room erupted into cheers as Glenn pulled Maggie into his arms and kissed her.

**...**

_**It was the sound of gunfire**_ that propelled Daryl Dixon up the slippery steps of tower one.

He'd emerged from the cozy warmth of the house to bring Tundra some kibble before they got ready to eat dinner. Though he had a comfy dog house with a sealed entrance, hay to line the floor and warm blankets, the pup still complained about not being allowed to live indoors. Carl and Sasha didn't care for it either but the general consensus was the house was for humans. Besides, Rick wasn't comfortable with an animal around Judith and Maggie wasn't keen to have a dog slobbering on her baby when he or she was born.

Now Daryl stood with the binoculars to his eyes scanning for the source of the noise. He saw almost immediately who had been responsible for the loud pop that had broken the peaceful silence. A woman and two children were on the road. The woman had collapsed and the children knelt beside her.

A man wasn't far off. Daryl didn't know if he'd shot the woman and collapsed or if it was the other way around. He picked up the radio.

"Rick, gunshot."

A few moments later the door of the house opened. Rick had a radio to his mouth. "What do you see?"

"Man, woman, both down. Two kids kneeling over the woman."

He saw Rick nod and a couple minutes later he emerged from the house with Abraham and Sasha.

"Where are you going" Daryl asked her.

"I'm gonna open the gate."

He could see her smile and shake her head.

From his place in the tower Daryl watched Rick and Abraham climb onto the snowmobiles they'd pulled close to the house with sleds attached. He was glad they'd done so now.

He guided them to the people on the road. Sasha had joined him on the tower and now had her sniper rifle out and trained on the strangers lest this prove to be some kind of trap. They'd been isolated in the house for give days now, enjoying the safety and plays of hay, electricity, hot and cold water, good food and comfy beds. They'd gotten lax on security. For all they knew someone had scoped the place out and this was the start of an assault.

Michonne, Glenn, Rosita, and Tara emerged, armed and dressed to spend time in the cold. Michonne want for tower two and Rosita went for tower three while Glenn took up a place by the gate. Now they had to wait.

It didn't take long for Rick and Abraham to load up the newcomers onto the sleds and start back to the house.

**...**

_**Michonne and Maggie stripped the unconscious**_ woman naked and lowered her into the warm tub of water. It wasn't difficult. She was a slight woman at the best of times but now she was basically skin stretched over bones. They needed to warm her body temperature. She was incredibly ripe with body odor. It was the same as they'd been when they first arrived. They used soap to scrub her body and wash her hair, hoping the warm water and jostling would rouse her.

"She's skin and bones," Maggie said sympathetically.

"If we could wake her up we could feed her something hot," said Michonne. "Rosita has some leftover chicken noodle soup she's heating up."

They'd dressed her and put her on the bed when she finally awoke. She panicked at the sight of strangers looming over her. She struggled weakly and was quickly tired out and breathless.

"Blake! Li!" she panted pitifully, looking around the room, undoubtedly worried for her children.

"The kids are fine," Michonne assured her.

"Where are they?"

"With the leader of our group and the man you were with," Maggie told her.

She looked so small and fearful. "Don't trust him," she said weakly, and then fainted.

**...**

_**Michonne looked to Maggie, who said**_, "We won't have to worry about Rick trusting a stranger. Still, I want to talk to talk to him."

"I've got her," Maggie said.

Michonne headed downstairs to the living room where she saw Abraham was finishing up work stitching a bullet wound in the man's calf. The children literally held on to one another, watching everyone with wide, fearful eyes. They made Michonne think of abused dogs that she'd seen rescued at the shelter she liked to volunteer.

Michonne leaned in to whisper to Rick in a whisper only he could hear.

"She woke up and asked about the kids, Jack and Li. She says not to trust this man."

He nodded. He didn't need the woman upstairs to tell him not to trust this man. He had no intentions of doing so. It was interesting, though, to know the woman feared this man.

The man before him was grizzled but large. He had kept himself in shape. He looked to be about fifty years old but he had surprisingly little gray in his wild beard and hair.

"What happened out there" Rick asked.

"We got separated. I came out to look for her and she mistook me for a rotter. Luckily y'all came along when you did."

What's your relationship to the woman and children?"

He looked exasperated at the questions. "It's complicated."

Rick rested his hand on his gun and stared the man in the eye. "I'm smart and I've got time."

The man considered Rick, then Abraham, and finally Michonne. They were armed but he wasn't. They weren't wounded. He was. The likelihood he could blow them off seemed slim so he answered.

"Their mother and the woman upstairs are half sisters. I'm the father of the kids' mother."

"She close by?"

"Dead," the man answered. He spoke of his daughter without any emotion whatsoever. "Got herself bit six months ago."

Rick looked at the children. They seemed as fearful of their alleged grandfather as they did of the strangers who'd saved them in the woods.

Rick thought the boy looked to be about twelve and the girl was a year or two older. They were biracial kids. Both had bronze skin and hair made of fat corkscrew curls. It was a tangled mess at the moment and their skin was grimy. Rick felt sorry for them. He knew the struggle they'd been through out there and he was loathe to even consider sending them back out to it.

A thought entered his head. This is what he and Michonne's children could possibly look like someday, if they were to have children together. That thought made him smile.

"The woman upstairs. Her name?"

"Kyla."

"The children?" Rick asked.

"Jackson and Aaliyah. We call them Jack and Li."

Rick looked over at Tara, who stood behind the kids. "Tara, take the kids upstairs to their aunt."

"I'd rather keep my eye on them," the man said.

"They'll be fine," Michonne answered, for their benefit, not his.

"I wasn't talking to you, _woman_," the man said coolly. He eyed Michonne with resentment while she looked at him with disdain.

"I didn't need your permission to speak, _old man_," she replied, equally as cool in tone.

His eyes went back to Rick. "Is that how you run this place? Letting women call the shots and speak out of turn?"

Now that the kids were gone Rick could speak freely.

"Your name?"

He sighed. "Joe."

Rick smiled and shared a glance with Michonne. "You don't say," he said.

"Why?"

"I once killed a man named Joe. I ripped his throat out with my teeth."

Joe sized Rick up. He looked openly skeptical when he said, "Did you now?"

"I had my beard on then. I look meaner with my beard but I'll tell you…I'm just as mean without it. Tell me why the woman upstairs shot you and told my woman you can't be trusted."

"She don't like me," Joe said, as though that explained everything.

"I can't begin to imagine why. Charming devil like you," Michonne said dryly, knowing that just talking to the old man would piss him off.

"I don't like you either but so far you haven't given me a legitimate reason to shoot you," Rick said, trying not to grin at Michonne's sense of humor.

"She's headstrong. Don't like being kept in her place and made to be a real, normal, woman."

"You rape her?" Rick asked, wondering what Joe meant by 'normal.'

"No."

"So why shoot you?" Rick asked, starting to sound impatient.

Maybe Joe saw something in Rick's eyes, the something that meant he had what it took to rip a man's throat out with his teeth, because he squirmed in his seat.

"I was taking her back to her man," he said.

"She was running?" Abraham asked.

"She brought those kids out into this cold and knew they could die in it. They were safe at home with our people."

"If they're safe why are they so skinny?" asked Michonne.

"That's her and her man's business," he caged.

"Abe, lock him in the den. Cuff him to the couch. We'll come in and feed you soon enough."

"You're holding me hostage?" Joe said, looking surprised.

"I sure as hell ain't gonna let you run around free."

"I ain't done nothing to deserve being locked up."

Rick nodded. "That's right, and you ain't gonna get the chance to, either."

Abraham reached for Joe but he swatted him away. Rick pulled his Colt Python and aimed it level and stead between Joe's eyes.

"I _will_ kill you."

Again, Joe must have seen something in Rick's eyes because he quieted down and allowed Abraham to pull him to his feet and steer him toward the den. He watched as Abraham patted him down, removing a knife, before cuffing him to the couch. They secured the window and then left him alone in the room.

"Carl," Rick said, coming out into the hall.

Carl still sat on the steps that led to the second floor. "Yeah?"

"Keep guard," he said, and handed his gun to his son. "We'll be back soon. If he manages to get lose and he comes out of that room, shoot to kill."

"Okay."

Rick lamented having to put a gun back in Carl's hand but they had to do what needed done. Life in Christmas paradise was over. Real life had found them again.

…

_**Rick called an impromptu meeting with**_ the others, sans Maggie since she was tending to Kyla and the kids, and held it in a nearby empty bedroom that had been fitted with two sets of bunk beds.

"What do you think?" he asked Michonne.

"He's rotten. That woman and the kids are being abused," she answered.

"He claims they have a safe place but the woman and kids are filthy and starved," Rick noted.

"I noticed he's neither of those things," said Abraham. "Well fed, clean, looks like he gets regular exercise too."

"Think he's holding them captive?" asked Glenn.

"Claims he's taking her back to her man," Michonne said. "A man she obviously doesn't want anything to do with. The man hates women."

"_Really_ hates women," Abraham agreed.

"Kids say anything?" Rick asked Tara.

"They're too scared to talk, poor things," she said.

Maggie knocked on the door and leaned into the room. "She's awake."

**...**

I know. It would be nice if they could just continue to live in solitude and happiness but real life has intruded. Boo! :) Reviews are what I live for so drop a word or two!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N**: Hi guys. I don't know when I'm going to be able to update this fic again, or any of my others. I'm caring for my father. He had a stroke and when I get time to myself I just don't have the energy to write. I'm going to update asap. I'm sorry to leave you hanging but real life trumps fandom.

**...**

"_**She escaped from a group of**_ about thirty people," Maggie explained. "They're mostly men. Cutthroats. She says they're close and if they find this place her people will attack. She's trying to get herself and her niece and nephew away from them."

Rick nodded his understanding. "Okay. Get the kids cleaned up put them in some fresh clothes. They've got bunk beds in their room so they'll be able to stay together. She's too weak to come down to dinner so we'll make them trays. Tara, you mind bringing them up?"

"Not at all."

"What are you gonna do?" Michonne asked. She could tell Rick was ready to take some kind of action. She was pretty sure it wasn't going to be good for the man they were holding in the den.

He looked somber when he looked into her eyes. "I'm gonna do what needs to be done. Daryl, you're with me. The rest of you finish getting dinner ready."

"Should we post lookouts on the guard towers?" asked Glenn.

"Yeah. One man on Tower 1."

"I volunteer," said Maggie.

"You're pregnant," Glenn said, looking worried.

"Pregnant doesn't mean useless."

"I just don't want you out in that cold. It's windy and snowy. I'll go. You stay warm."

"You're not gonna start treating me like I'm made of glass are you?" she asked in annoyance.

"Yes," he said honestly, drawing chuckles from the others.

"Dad!" Carl's voice was distant but urgent.

"Shit!" Rick cursed, and started for the stairs. "Maggie, stay with the guests."

Daryl and the others rushed after Rick. They hurried downstairs and hear what had Carl alarmed. There was a slamming sound coming from the den. Carl handed his father the gun and Rick went to the door, shoving it open to see Joe was slamming the couch against the wall in an effort to break free from his cuffs. He stopped upon seeing Rick.

"Daryl," Rick said. He turned to the others. "I've got this."

He shut the door and they looked worried as he did. Once the door was closed, Michonne motioned to the kitchen. "Let's keep on. Rick will handle this."

She followed close behind, casting one last glance at the door to the den before she left, her hand on Carl's shoulder.

…

"_**Can't blame a man for trying," **_Joe said, once Daryl and Rick were in the room with him.

"I have a few questions."

"Such as?"

"How many people in your group?"

Joe shrugged. "Ten."

"Liar," Daryl said, and Rick felt a shiver, remembering the Governor speak those same words just before he took Hershel's head off.

"We hear it's more like thirty," said Rick, standing over him. "I hear you've got thirty aggressive men who'll want to try to take what we have here."

"Look, man, whatever that bitch told you is a lie, okay? We're not aggressive, bad people. All I want to do is take my family and go home. That's not too much to ask for."

"I think you know I can't allow that. Not only do they not want to go with you, I can't have you walking out of here to lead an army back to my door," Rick told him.

He took a breath and pulled a knife.

"I saw the tree. I smelled the dinner. I saw the presents and the stockings in the living room. It's Christmas day," Joe said, a pleading tone in his voice. "You wouldn't kill a man on Christmas day, would you?"

"It's just another day," Daryl said in a cold voice.

Rick tilted his head and shrugged. "This is Jesus' birthday, not yours."

Before he could make another plea for his life rick drove his knife down into the top of Joe's skull, ending him as four inches of cold, hard steel pierced his brain. Rick pulled the knife and wiped the blade on Joe's pant leg.

Daryl was watching him. Thankfully there was no condemnation in his eyes.

"What?"

"This just made me wonder what would have happened had we killed Randall."

"Shane and Lori would still be alive. So would all our people. Those shots wouldn't have been fired. That herd wouldn't have been drawn down on us," said Rick. "Life would be very different right now."

"You don't know that," Daryl countered. "Shane would have tried to kill you another day. Maybe even succeeded. I have a feeling that herd would have eventually found the farm and maybe we'd have all died there and we wouldn't be here now."

"You think maybe this was a bad call?"

Daryl immediately shook his head. "No. He absolutely had to die. I woulda done it myself if you hadn't. I ain't lettin' nothin' happen to Sasha. I won't go through that again."

Rick nodded his understanding. "You're with me, then."

"All the way, brother," he said, shaking Rick's hand in a sign of solidarity and trust. "Now let's go eat. I'll help you get rid of him later tonight after everybody else goes to sleep."

…

_**The kids were curious about the**_ house and the dinner that was being served so, with Tara and Maggie's help, Kyla was able to walk downstairs to the dining room. The kids had been dressed in the same kind of ugly Christmas sweaters that Tara had browbeat everyone but Daryl into wearing. The poor things were so skinny the sweaters looked ten sizes too big. They eyed the food with wide eyes that belied the fact that they couldn't believe it was all real.

"Hard to believe it's real, huh?" Daryl said to Jack, who was sitting next to him. The boy nodded but looked too afraid to speak.

Even time in the wild hadn't robbed the kids of table manners. Jack was practically salivating as food was loaded onto his plate by Daryl of all people. He was eyeballing the drumstick.

"Normally I eat that," Daryl said. "How about you take it this time?"

"You sure, Mister?"

"Daryl," he said, giving the boy his name.

"You sure, Mr. Daryl?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Just Daryl, not Mr. Daryl."

He cut the drumstick and put it on the boy's plate. As soon as they were allowed to dig in he picked up the leg and began chewing into it with relish. Rick watched Daryl eye the boy with a kind of tenderness he'd never imagined Daryl would be comfortable displaying. Something about the kid obviously drew Daryl.

"Ow!" Jack suddenly said, and rubbed at his back with a pained expression.

"What's wrong?" asked his sister, Li. Carl had his eyes glued to the pretty girl, his fork missing his plate most of the time.

"My back."

"What's wrong with your back?"

"It's pretty bad," Maggie caged. "I don't know if it needs…stitches…"

Daryl was the first to move. He gingerly lifted Jack's shirt and his eyes went hard, looking like cold shards of ice as he gazed at the many scars there. There were three fresh wounds that Maggie had bandaged but one had started bleeding.

"Yeah, this one needs stitched up. It's bleedin'."

"I don't want no stitches."

"We got pain killers," Daryl said. "You won't feel a thing. We gotta take care of it now. Don't want infection settin' in," he said to Kyla, who nodded. She looked ashamed but everyone knew if she could have prevented it she would have.

Jack rubbed at his eyes, trying to hold back tears, and he was successful. None fell but he looked at his plate with longing.

"You finish eating first, if you want," Daryl relented.

"Thanks Mr…I mean, Daryl."

He dug in, eating as quickly as he could until Daryl told him to slow down. They'd worry about stitches later.

"How about you?" Sasha asked Li.

"Mine are all healed," she said quietly. "Aunt Kyla's, too."

Even as hungry as they were their stomachs had shrank so that they couldn't eat as much as they'd probably have liked. Their eyes still lit up when Abraham brought out pumpkin and sweet potato pies, as well as an assortment of festive cookies. They ate what they could and then Daryl said he'd be up with a kit later to work on Jack's back. He was, he said, good with stitches.

Kyla asked to speak with Rick in the hall as the kids were led up to bed with Maggie.

"Would you be willing to part with some supplies when Joe takes us back?" she asked.

"Do you want to go back?"

She bit her lip and shook her head. "I don't know you. Seems like you're good people but then again, Tom seemed like such too, at first."

"Tom your husband, boyfriend?"

"Keeper," she said. She visibly trembled at the man's name. "I belong to him. He's not just going to let me leave. He'll come straight here as soon as Joe tells him about this place."

"That won't happen," he said. "Joe was a threat. He's not now."

She understood immediately and she paled. "Are the kids and I a threat too?"

"Are you?"

"I'd rather run in the snow and die of cold than go back to Tom."

"You don't have to run. You and the children are welcome to stay. All you have to do is pull you weight."

Kyla hugged her arms and stared at him. "Look, I can pull my weight. You can use me and pass me around and I'll pull Li and Jack's weight too. Just don't hurt them."

Rick realized what she was saying and he felt disgust in his belly that someone had done that to her and the children. "We don't use people like that. You don't trust easily and I don't blame you. I don't either. You choose to stay you'll come to see we're honorable people. We'll kill to protect our own but we don't rape and we don't murder. We don't abuse. You, Li, and Jack won't be used that way. All we ask is that you earn your keep by helping out."

He could see she wanted to believe him but she had lingering doubts. He could also sense she wasn't going to leave because she feared he'd execute her.

"My gut tells me you wouldn't tell your people about us. If you want to leave I'll give you supplies, weapons, but you're better off making a home here with us. Think about it tonight."

She nodded.

"I'll have to confine you to your room at night. You'll have an escort in the day until we get to know you, should you decide to stay. One thing I can promise you, Kyla. You're safe here."

"Thanks for all you've done. I'm grateful."

"You're welcome."

…

_**The disposal of a body was**_ never an easy job. Rick decided to leave it wrapped near the shed. When the threat of passersby from Joe's group lessened he'd burn the body and hope that they didn't see the smoke, or smell the burning flesh.

"How is Jack?"

"I got him stitched up. He took it like a man. He's big for his age. He's only ten. I thought he was twelve," Daryl looked at his feet. "I showed him my scars before I stitched him up. He seemed okay with me doing it once he saw how much alike we are."

"You ain't careful you're gonna get attached to that kid. No guarantee his aunt will want to stay," Rick warned. "And he could wind up attached to you, too."

Daryl shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. I think she'll stay. As far as attachments..." he shrugged again. Rick understood. Daryl wasn't put off at the idea of the boy being attached. In fact, Rick suspected that Daryl was drawn to the boy who reminded him so strongly of himself.

He and Daryl were heading inside when their radios crackled. "There's flashlights near the road," Glenn reported.

Daryl and Rick shared a glance.

"They following our tracks in the snow?"

"I don't think they see them. I hear them calling for Joe and Kyla. They're moving on."

"We'll need to man the other two towers," Daryl said. "I'll take tower two."

"I'll take tower three."

"You should take the gate," Daryl said. "Tower three is way off, probably away from the threat. Put someone else there. If the shit hits the fan you'll be needed on the first line of defense."

Rick nodded. He was going to call out Abraham and then work up a rotating shift on the towers. Four hour watches each person. Carl insisted on being to man tower three at least, so Rick let him take that tower while he took watch on the gate. He didn't want to be inside, in bed asleep with his son out on a tower. He wasn't _that_ grown yet.

He was surprised to see Michonne approaching with a thermos full of coffee. He kissed her forehead, nearly knocking off her hood.

"Baby, you should be in bed."

"It's colder in bed without you than it is out here."

That warmed his heart and he moved to kiss her lips. They sat on a bench he'd swept snow off of. They shared a few moments of companionable silence before Rick broke it.

"I really didn't want this to start up again. I wanted us to be able to hide away here, safe and happy, for the rest of our lives."

"Me too," she said, her mittened hand rubbing his back. "We'll still be happy. We'll just have three more people to share it with."

"Thirty men. They'll add to their numbers as time goes by," Rick worried. "I killed Joe."

"I figured."

"We once took shelter on a farm. We had a prisoner named Randall."

"I know. Andrea told me all about that," Michonne said. "You did tonight what you think you should have done then."

Rick nodded. "Yeah. I'm just afraid it won't be enough this time."

Michonne urged Rick to look at her. "Whatever happens we'll face it together. We're strong, Rick. We'll get through this. We'll persevere."

With Michonne by his side Rick sat there in the cold, feeling oddly warm, feeling a sense of calm overtake him. She was right. No matter what happened they'd face it, together. They'd persevere.

**...**

Hey guys. Joe won't be another Randall for Rick's group. No way no how. I hope I have time to write more on this story and get it, and my other fics, updated soon. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review, my lovelies!


	11. Chapter 11

_**Daryl Dixon had developed a shadow.**_

Rick watched as Jack followed Daryl everywhere he went. Rick was sure it would annoy him but to his surprise Daryl took to the boy. There was also a good deal of bonding between Jack's sister, who wanted to be called by her full name, and Sasha.

"Li is what Tom made everyone call me. I prefer my real name," she'd said.

"Can I come?" Jack asked, when Rick told Daryl he needed help out by the shed.

"Not this time, buddy," Daryl answered.

Jack hung his head. "Aunt Kyla said I was pestering you. I'm sorry."

Daryl bent forward, putting himself at eye level with the boy. "You ain't a pest. This here is just grown up work is all. I'll be back for dinner and if your aunt don't mind you can come out on rounds with me."

"Can I Auntie?" Jack said, brightening.

"I don't mind. Just make sure you do everything Daryl says."

He nodded eagerly. "I will, I promise."

"Ok. Now go help Aaliyah with chores. She's in the kitchen with Maggie."

Jack's face turned bright red at the mention of Maggie's name. The boy had an obvious crush on her. He looked both excited and petrified at the idea of being around her as he headed off to the kitchen to help.

"If he starts to annoy you let me know. I'll distract him," Kyla said.

"He's a good boy. I don't mind. What happened to his father?"

"He died fighting in Iraq when Jack was three. So...are you going to do something with Joe?"

"It's time to burn the body," Rick said. I don't want to leave the job to warm weather. The smell will travel farther, maybe attract walkers."

Kyla nodded. "Need my help?"

Rick shook his head and she went inside. He and Daryl stated toward the shed.

"If she decides not to stay she'll take Aaliyah and Jack with her."

"Yeah," Daryl said, looking at Rick with a quizzical expression.

"It may be a good idea not to let yourself get attached to the boy. Even better, don't let him get attached to you."

"Little late. He's glued to my hip and I know why. He wants a father figure. One that won't beat on him."

"Am I reading you wrong when I say it seems like maybe you want a son of your own?"

Daryl noticeably swallowed. "Maybe not. If she leaves, she leaves. I'll just deal. Same as I always have."

**...**

_**Michonne, Sasha, Aaliyah, Kyla, Jack, and**_ Maggie waited for the lasagna to bake. It was the last piece in the puzzle for dinner to be put on the table. The salad was done, the garlic bread made, and the fruit punch Rosita had made was frosty from the freezer and ready to drink.

"You have such pretty hair," Sasha said, combing her fingers through it.

"I'm never sure what to do with it," she said, looking self conscious. "I was only allowed to wear it in a ponytail."

"Well have a girl's day tomorrow," said Maggie. "We'll go to the basement and give each other pedicures and style our hair. We'll get all dolled up for dinner."

"That sounds like fun," she said. It was, Sasha realized, the most the girl had spoken since she'd gotten up that morning. She was slowly opening up.

Jack, on the other hand, remained closed-mouthed, stealing glances at Maggie whenever he thought she wasn't looking. Sometimes she'd turn around and smile at him, making him go red as a beet, before he'd find something to stare at while he blushed.

Michonne noticed Carl hiding in the hall, doing his own fair amount of staring, as he looked in at Aaliyah. She didn't notice or she pretended she didn't, deciding to keep herself busy with cooking. Michonne eventually went out to the hall and looked down at Carl.

"She's pretty, huh?" she said.

Carl nodded, looking embarrassed at having been caught red-handed. "How old is she?" he asked in a whisper.

"Fourteen. Your age."

When he didn't say anything else, Michonne ruffled his hair.

"We've got about twenty minutes before dinner is ready. You could invite her to help you take the decorations down from the tree."

"I can't do that," he said, his eyes widening.

"Aaliyah?" Michonne asked, and Carl backed away as though she'd suddenly turned into a walker. "Carl needs help taking the decorations down from the tree. Think you could help him?"

"Sure," she said, eager to help out and pull her weight around the house. She got up and came into the hall where Carl was suddenly very interested in his shoes.

"Have you met Carl? He's Rick's son. Carl, this is Aaliyah Edmonds. Aaliyah, this is Carl Grimes."

"Nice to meet you," she said awkwardly.

"You too," he replied, equally as awkward.

"Well, off you go. Be careful to box everything up neatly for next year," Michonne said. "And Carl?"

He turned back to face her, his face flushed. "Yeah?"

"Don't forget to meet me tonight in the living room. You need that haircut."

He nodded and then continued on with Aaliyah.

"Oh, excuse me," Tara said.

Tara had almost ran face first into Kyla, who stepped back to allow her entry into the kitchen. Tara had a difficult time looking Kyla in the face. Instead her eyes tended to hover somewhere around her neck or just above her eyes.

Kyla offered a hand. "Kyla Wyatt. Nice to meet you."

"Tara Chambler. Same," she said, shaking her hand. She then scurried past Kyla into the kitchen where she grabbed some of the punch Aaliyah had made.

Kyla looked to Michonne. "I know this is a really personal question so I don't blame you if you don't want to answer but…is Tara into women? She seems awfully shy around me."

Michonne made a noncommittal shrug. "Would it bother you if she was?"

Kyla smiled shyly. "No. I'm gay so it would be fine with me."

This time Michonne smiled. "Well then. You have something in common with Tara it would seem."

She winked at Kyla and then headed back into the kitchen to make small talk with the others.

Rick and Daryl were late to the table. They'd each gone up to their rooms to change clothes and wash up. Michonne was glad. They'd smelled like burned flesh when they came in. There was no trace of it now. After dinner the men helped clear the table and get the kitchen cleaned up before they headed down to the basement for a game of pool and some drinks before they had to begin doling out guard shift duties.

Michonne and the other women retired to the living room while Carl invited Jack and Aaliyah to the TV room for a movie.

"Keep it PG-13, okay?" Kyla said. "Nothing too violent."

"Aw, I wanted to watch Fast & Furious," Aaliyah said. "Please? It's the last one they made before everything bad happened."

"How do you feel about that movie?" Kyla asked Michonne.

"I don't have a problem with it. We've seen worse," Michonne said.

Kyla nodded. "Okay. You can watch it. Then you have to get ready for bed, okay?"

Aaliyah nodded.

"I wanna hang out with Daryl."

"You'll see Daryl soon enough when you go out on rounds. Go watch the movie until he's ready."

By the time Daryl was ready for his rounds Jack was fast asleep. Daryl carried him up to bed and then dressed for the cold. He'd be out in it for a few hours. He met up with Michonne and Sasha in the hall.

"What do you think? They gonna be a part of the family?" he asked Sasha.

"I really believe they want to be. They don't quite trust us yet. Kyla is especially wary but that's to be expected considering what she's been through," Sasha answered.

She made sure Daryl's jacket was snug and cold air couldn't get in. Michonne watched them together, a smile on her face, feeling happy that they'd found love together in such a trying world. She wondered how long it would be before they, too, were sharing the news of a little Dixon on the way.

Maggie emerged from her room looking pale and her eyes red. "I'm ready," she said to Daryl. They were partnered up for the evening to do rounds. Maggie was determined to be useful on the wall but at the moment she looked ready to pass out.

"You don't look so hot," Michonne noticed.

"No, I'm fine. Just a little nauseous," she said.

"You can get an upset stomach at any time when you're pregnant," Sasha said. "My cousin Gerdie was sick all hours of the day and night from her second month to her eighth month."

"I'm ready to go," Maggie said, and then bent forward to vomit onto the floor. They all danced back to avoid getting the sick on their shoes, their faces scrunching up at the smell.

"Thank God these are parquet floors and not carpet," Sasha said dryly, with a shake of her head.

"I'll mop this up and be right out," she said between retches.

"You're going to bed," Daryl said. "That's all there is to it."

"You can't…boss…me…" Maggie tried to say, but now she was dry heaving.

"Bed," Daryl, Sasha, and Michonne said at once.

"I'm useless," Maggie said miserably.

"Nonsense. You make a delicious lasagna," said Michonne, before she looked to Daryl. "You okay out there on your own?"

"I should be," Daryl said. "I got my crossbow, my knife, a gun, and a radio. If I get into trouble I'll call for help. 'Sides, towers one and three are manned. I'll have somebody close by at all times."

"I'll be out to relieve you in four hours," Sasha said, and kissed him goodbye. "You get her into bed. I'll clean up this mess."

"No, I'm gonna clean it," Maggie said, swaying on her feet.

"You are so damn stubborn," Michonne said, shaking her head.

"But it's my mess. I should clean it."

"I got it, now go," Sasha insisted.

Kyla stood in the doorway and watched them interact. It was then that she knew these really were good, caring people that she didn't have to fear. She was supposed to stay in her room at bedtime so she closed the door before they noticed her. When she climbed into bed she fell into a sleep that was the most peaceful she'd had since the turn happened. For once she wouldn't have to worry about some man coming into her room to molest her. She didn't have to worry that one night one of the kids would be the target instead of her. She'd finally found a place she could call home for both herself and her niece and nephew.

**...**

Hi guys. I know it's a short chapter but considering RL and my other issues going on I'm lucky to get to post this. Thanks for all the well-wishes for Dad and me. I appreciate you all! *hugs*


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